


Harleen

by AntOne7324



Category: Joker (2019)
Genre: Arkham Asylum, Betrayal, Character Death, F/M, Masturbation in Shower, Mental Breakdown, Physical Abuse, Protests, Sexual Content, Therapy, There Will Be Spoilers If You Haven't seen The Movie, Violence, mad love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2020-12-17 10:33:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 88,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21052943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntOne7324/pseuds/AntOne7324
Summary: One year has passed since Arthur Fleck had been committed to Arkham State Hospital.  He's managed to scare off every psychologist that's been assigned to him until he meets Harleen Quinzel. Harleen genuinely wants to help treat Arthur's condition, while Arthur views her as nothing more than a plaything. Over time though, the two form a special connection which will lead to severe consequences for everyone around them





	1. First Encounter

Today is a big day for Harleen Quinzel. Not only will it be her first day working at Arkham State Hospital, but she has also be assigned to be the psychologist of Gotham's most notorious and influential criminal, Arthur Fleck. It has been one year since Arthur had been locked up after leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake

And if things weren't already bad enough in Gotham with what Arthur has done, a group of fanatics calling themselves, The Jokerz, have taken to the streets to honor their hero. Dressed like clowns but violently spread terror and fear throughout the city

The young and eager psychologist is nearly finished getting ready for work. All she had to do now is look at her reflection in the mirror beside her bed, brush her hair tie it into a ponytail

Harleen remembered seeing Arthur in his clown makeup and suit, ruthlessly killing Murray Franklin on national television after giving what Harleen considered as a heartfelt speech on how society has kept someone like Arthur down and mistreated him. She didn't condone his actions but Harleen could understand where he was coming from and is determined to get into Arthur's twisted mind and help him to become a better person

Plus just imagine the amount of publicity and attention she would get if she manages to cure Arthur of his illness. For a girl who's young as she is and wanting to one of the world's best psychologists, it would be a huge accomplishment for her. Harleen didn't get into this to be famous, she genuinely wanted to help people and improve their lives, but the fame of being the one to succeed out of all the others who have tried to treat Arthur and failed is a nice thought

" So today's the day huh," said Derek Blake as he stands in the doorway of Harleen's bedroom, adjusting his cuffs on his fancy suit

" Uh-huh" Harleen nodded while she looked at her reflection in her mirror while using a comb to brush her hair

Derek smiled as he stepped into the room " You sure you want to have someone like Arthur Fleck as your patient? That man is a monster, who should be put down"

" The man clearly has psychological issues, Derek" Harleen turned around and frowned at her boyfriend" Yes, what he did was awful. But he doesn't know what he's doing.....not really" she said

" Please" snorted Derek " The man has a group of followers out there in the streets, violently attacking and killing anyone who gets in their way. He knows what he's doing. He just did it for attention"

Harleen didn't take too kindly to Derek's harsh words about her new patient " So, I should just abandon him. Leave him to rot in that hospital and not give him a chance to change?" she asked Derek

Derek said nothing but shrugged his shoulders for his response to his girlfriend's question, obviously believing that she should leave Arthur where he is and help those that really need it

" I didn't come all this way and work my ass off to be a psychologist, who's tasked to treat a man who's probably the most high profile patient in Gotham City, to just suddenly quit and give up on him. No!" Harleen shakes her head " I'm not going to do that. They could have picked anyone else to try and treat Arthur, but they choose me due to my passion and dedication"

" Listen! All I'm saying is be careful of that man. You don't know what he's capable of" replied Derek

Harleen looked at Derek " I'll be fine, trust me"

" Right...well I gotta go. Good luck" said Derek as he kissed Harleen on the cheek before turning around to leave her bedroom and her apartment

Harleen turned to look back at her mirror and finish combing her hair, she didn't care how long it would take or how dangerous Arthur could be, she's going to give him the best psychiatric help and hopefully put away whatever demons that are lurking within his tortured soul

****

" Are you nervous?" asked Duncan the director of Arkham State Hosptial, a man in his late fifties with short grey hair, looking at Harleen from across his desk

" Quite honestly" Harleen shakes her head " No. I'm not nervous"

" You should be" Duncan replied grimly " Mr. Fleck is the most dangerous and unpredictable patient I've ever come across. That man nearly killed his last shrink. We had to keep him locked in his room for everyone's own good" he said bluntly

Harleen raised an eyebrow " Mr. Fleck isn't allowed to mingle with the others?" she asked

" Are you kidding" Duncan chuckled amusingly " I wouldn't dare put the safety of the others in the hands of that lunatic"

" But he has rights. Arthur should be allowed to leave his room and mingle if he wants to. But to keep him confined there for long periods of time? That doesn't seem right" said Harleen shaking her head in disapproval

Duncan frowned at Harleen's disapproval " I make the rules around here and you follow them. Got it!" he then softened his expression "Trust me. When you've been around Mr. Fleck for more than a few weeks, you'll understand why he's kept isolated"

" I know what he's done. The people he's murdered. The riot.......but I know there's something more to him. Something that's causing him to be this way. Once I get to the bottom of it, you will see a new Arthur Fleck. Trust me!" Harleen said confidently

It didn't matter if everyone was screaming in Harleen's face that Arthur is the devil or a monster, she's not going anywhere unless she feels Arthur can't be treated or refuses to have help

Duncan sighed " We'll see" he opens the bottom drawer and brings out Arthur's file, he places it on the desk and slightly pushes it closer to Harleen " Brush up on his case...including notes on his mother who was a former patient of Arkham. Your first appointment with Arthur is this afternoon at Two o'clock" he informed

" Thank you, Mr. Smith" Harleen smiled at Duncan before taking the file and getting up from her seat

Duncan extends his hand to Harleen " Good luck, and I mean that"

Harleen leans forward and shakes Duncan's hand " Just you wait, Mr. Fleck will be a different person by the time I'm done with him," she said before turning around and leaving the room

As she made her way down the corridors with Arthur's file tugged underneath her left arm, passing by orderlies and other patients, ominous laughter roared throughout the corridors. The patients and orderlies knew this laughter all too well, the laughter of a mad man. Harleen, though oblivious, became intrigued and wanting to know where the source of this laughter is coming from

Every step she would make with her heels, the laughter grew louder and louder. Harleen began looking from room to room until she finally came across a room where the laughter is coming from. Harleen peaks through the small window of a door and see Arthur Fleck

Arthur sits on the edge of his bed, confined in a straight jacket and his back pressed against the brick wall. His greasy black hair dangling at the back of his shoulders. Arthur truly looked like a madman, he laughed and laughed until it started to hurt. Thinking of new twisted jokes that only he could ever truly understand and find funny

Harleen watched Arthur with great interest, his laughter piqued her curiosity. What is it that this man found so funny that he had to make everyone hear his laugh? She'd be lying if she said she didn't smile at him a little because she did

She didn't know what it is about him, but she sees something in Arthur that no one else could or would want to see. Something in her gut told Harleen that inside that mentally ill man is a sweet guy looking for acceptance and affection

Maybe it was an act. Maybe there's nothing to Arthur than a deranged lunatic who only wants to spread chaos and kill people. Only time will tell

Just when it looked as though the laughter would go on and on, Arthur suddenly stopped as he noticed Harleen staring at him through the grate plastic window. His eyes looking into hers, he sees her giving her a friendly smile and he gives one back. It may seem like only a few seconds since they held each other's gaze, but to them, it felt like a lifetime

_This should be fun_ thought Arthur


	2. Call Me Harley

  
Harleen waits with bated breath as she sits in one of two chairs inside her office, in a matter of moments Arthur will be escorted through those doors by an orderly and they'll begin the first of many sessions together. She's read Arthur's file of his history with Arkham, his horrific childhood, notes on his mother being a patient in this hospital, his uncontrollable laughter and complete disregard for the crimes he's committed

As troubling as it was to read that Arthur had been abused as a child and his mother doing nothing about it, Harleen couldn't wait to delve into the madman's psyche, making him confront his demons and hopefully being able to put them to bed for good. Everyone calls Arthur a madman but not Harleen, she sees a tortured soul lashing out at those that did him wrong as some form of cosmic justice

What's even funnier is when Harleen caught Arthur's attention earlier in the day when he was laughing at something only he could understand, he didn't look like the monster that media has portrayed him to be. Harleen didn't see the infamous Joker killing anyone at random and laughing about it, she sees a sweet and humble man

But with her training in psychology, Harleen knew that most criminals have feigned mental illness or pretend to show they are sweet and innocent when really it's all a smokescreen and they are monsters underneath. Yet! Harleen felt as if what she saw from Arthur earlier is completely genuine. He's not a monster, not really

There soon came three knocks on her door, which prompted Harleen to snap out of her thoughts and finally meet the man behind the laughter

" Arthur Fleck here to see you, Ms. Quinzel," said the orderly

" Ahh yes, send him in" replied Harleen as she readjusted her position in her seat  
  
The orderly opens the door and in comes Arthur with a straight jacket. Arthur enters the room, not taking his eyes off of Harleen. Again he gives her what appeared to be a friendly smile

_He almost looks like a lost child, _thought Harleen as she smiled back at her patient and not taking her eyes off of him

" I'll be on the other side of the door if this freak gives you any trouble," said the orderly as he scowled at Arthur

Harleen noticed the dirty look the orderly is giving to Arthur but chooses to not call him out on it " Thank you, I appreciated it. Arthur....please sit" she gestured, pointing her hand to the chair in front of her

The orderly exited the room and closes the door behind him

Arthur walked over to the chair where Harleen pointed to, he moves around until he's in front of her and sits down trying his best to get into a comfortable position, but with the straight jacket strapped around him, it's almost impossible for him

He immediately scanned Harleen's nametag " Harleen Quinzel" his voice purred

" Yes, that is correct. But you can just call me Harleen or Harley for short if you like" replied Harleen

" Harley!" A smile grew on Arthur's face " Like the clown, Harlequin. That's nice" he remarked

Harleen smiled at Arthur " Well, I've heard people calling me Harley all my life. To be honest, I like it. Harleen is ok but " she raises one hand and slowly shakes it " Too formal if you know what I mean"

" I do" Arthur smiled back, his eyes looking up and down at Harleen's body. Viewing his new psychologist as another toy, just like the others who have tried to help him but left in a hurry. A million thoughts ran through his head of how he's going to play with her

" What makes you think you can help me?" asked Arthur " Many have tried and many have failed"

" I'm not like the others, you've pushed away," Harleen said confidently

Harleen knew exactly what Arthur is doing, he's looking at her and thinking of how he can push her away and scare her off, just like the others before her. It appears that whatever demons Arthur has inside of him are strong enough to make him believe, a guy like him can never change or considered to be good

" Do you have a cigarette? Cause it's been a year and I really could use one right now" requested Arthur

Harleen shakes her head " I don't, sorry. I don't even smoke"

" That's a shame," Arthur said disappointedly " Ever since I....." his face started to form a smile " I killed my first shrink" he lightly chuckled just thinking about it. He remembered launching himself at the shrink, knocking her to the ground and pinning her there. He remembered wrapping his hands around her neck, strangling her and repeatedly slamming her head against the cold floor

Arthur's chuckle soon turned into full-blown maniacal laughter, that very laughter he's well known for. He enjoyed taking that shrink's life, he really did. Considering her death to be a joke, just like when he killed Murray, Randal and causing the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne

The laugh startled Harleen because she didn't find anything humorous in taking another person's life. Unlike the first time where Harleen smiled at Arthur, she remained motionless in her chair and waited for him to finish

" What's going on in there? Everything alright, Ms. Quinzel?" the orderly asked on the other end of the door

Harleen said nothing as she continued to watch Arthur throwing himself into a fit, already trying to understand his motivations and why he found death so funny

" MS. QUINZEL!" The orderly exclaimed, raising his voice as loudly as he could over Arthur's constant laughing

Harleen blinked an eye before finally responding to the orderly " I'm fine. He's just laughing is all. It's ok" she replied

It had taken a few more seconds before Arthur finally stopped laughing at the murder and adjusted his position in the chair again

" Why do you find that funny, Arthur?" asked Harleen

" Joker!" snapped Arthur " My name is Joker or The Joker" his humorous expression turned into a cold stare

Arthur no longer wished to be associated with his former life as the miserable and weak-willed Arthur Fleck. As far as he is concerned, Arthur was a man who decided to exact revenge on his mother for not protecting him when he was a child and then ended up taking his own life

" You're name is Arthur Fleck" insisted Harleen

" Joker! Arthur is just some loser.....a doormat for society to walk all over and treat him like shit" Arthur retorts

" It ate at him from the moment he was born to the day he died. He couldn't live with the fact that a mother who he adored and took care off, betrayed him in the most disgusting way imaginable. The people in the city mugging him, lying to him, being taken for granted, getting fired from his job. Every day was a constant struggle for him"

Harleen looked at Arthur " And what are you, Joker? Who are you? Who do you see yourself as in the world?" she asked him curiously while humoring him as The Joker

" Me?" Arthur smiled at Harleen " I am what Arthur always wished to be........a winner. My life is nothing but a comedy. Everyone is bad, Harley. Even the good ones, they are just in denial. Deep down, everyone is like me. Life is a joke"

" So you feel as though taking lives as a way to save or correct the world?" asked Harleen

Arthur shakes his head and chuckles " I'm no hero. I am the very thing that lurks within us.....chaos incarnate in living form. Civilization, law, and order.....their jokes. I've always been inside Arthur, he just couldn't see it. Not till the day on the train where those three employees of Thomas Wayne started picking on him. He may have pulled the trigger but I was the one guiding him"

_Interesting! Arthur views himself as two separate entities lurking with a body,_ thought Harleen as she made a mental note to jot it down in her report when their session ends

" You know what I believe?" asked Harleen. She can see Arthur trying to be that monster he and the media believe him to be and not dwell on his troubled past. She sees him trying so hard to be someone else

Arthur shrugs his shoulders and says nothing

" There are good people in this world. There are, I'm one of them. Yes, the world is a horrible and cruel place, but we can't let it get to us or make us think we're this and that. I don't believe you to be this ......separate entity. You are Arthur Fleck. I watched you on Murray's show delvering that heartfelt speech on how society treats someone like you. That wasn't Joker talking.....that is you, Arthur. What you've created here is a defense mechanism to ensure nothing can hurt you again" Harleen said truthfully

_And there it is, _thought Arthur

" You can laugh your head off, you can try to threaten or intimidate me. I'm not going anywhere, Arthur. I'm going to help you get through this and make you realize that underneath all that makeup, is a good man" said Harleen as she became more determined than ever to help Arthur

" You think so, Harley?"

" I know so"


	3. Frustration

" So how was your first day in the nuthouse?" asked Derek as he smiled at his beautiful girlfriend from across the table in her apartment. He digs his fork into his plate of spaghetti carbonara he made, twisting the fork around to get as much spaghetti as it possibly could fit

Harlen smiled back at Derek " It was interesting and it's not a nuthouse. It's psychiatric hospital' she said before taking a bite in her meal

" You say tomato, I say to-mah-to" teased Derek, looking very pleased with himself because he has good news of his own but wanted to hear more about Harleen's first day with that nutjob first

Harleen gives a Derek a look of a parent who catches their child in a lie but is highly mused about it " It's only day one and I already think I'm making progress with Arthur"

" Really!" Derek raises an eyebrow " How so?" he asked Harleen

" I can't really go into detail about it. You know, doctor/patient confidentiality" replied Harleen

Derek pouted " Oh come on, Harley. You can talk to me, I know how to keep a secret"

" Sorry" Harleen shakes her head " What I will say is that Arthur is a working progress. There's more to him than meets the eye" she grabbed her glass of red wine and drinks a small sip

_A Fascinating man who's been wronged by the world. Gosh. Why am I thinking of him when I'm having dinner with Derek?_ thought Harleen

This wasn't the first time today since her first session with Arthur has Harleen thought about him. Not long after writing up her first report and getting ready to leave Arkham for the day, Harleen thought of Arthur, his beliefs on how no one in the world is truly good and how he has created this 'Joker' persona as a way to cope with what he's done

It's only her first day and already Arthur has made quite the impression on her enough to have her thinking about him. In fact it this is the first time that Harleen could recall that one of her patients started plaguing her thoughts. Sure, like all patients she had, Harleen cared about helping them to the best of her ability, but Arthur Fleck is someone else entirely

There's just something about Arthur that made Harleen feel at ease and can somewhat relate to. She was bullied at a young age, never really fitting in with anyone at school and anytime she tried making friends it always blew up in her face. Harleen felt destined to be an outsider looking in all the time

She didn't meet Derek, until her final year at college where to her surprise had taken a strong interest in her. Derek is one of those popular jock types of students who were always with the in-crowd, the only difference is he wasn't a total jerk. He was always polite and respectful to anyone who came up to him

" Harley...........Harley!" Derek started snapping his fingers in front of Harleen when he noticed she had been staring off into space and not really paying any attention to him

Harleen snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Derek " Huh?" she tilted her head slightly to the side and half smiled " Sorry"

" You ok?" asked Derek

Harleen nods "Yeah I'm ok, just a bit tired is all"

" Wow! It looks like helping Arthur is more than you bargained for. Unless you were helping other patients in Arkham as well" said Derek before taking a few more bites into his meal

" No!" Harleen shakes her head " I'm only assigned to only treat Arthur. There's another therapist that treats the others" revealed Harleen

_Everyone is bad, Harley. Even the good ones, they are just in denial_

_There are good people in this world, I'm one of them_

" Arthur is considered a danger among the general population and it's been decided that he would be treated by another therapist. Due to his high profile case"

Derek nods " Interesting. But a guy like him doesn't belong in Arkham, he should be in prison for what he's done. The man murdered six people and left a child parentless" believing that Arthur is a monster who's mocking those who really do suffer from mental illness

After watching live footage of Arthur's speech, murdering Murray and that chaotic riot in the streets, Derek had no sympathy for him. All he wanted is for Arthur to face justice and answer to his crimes

" You're wrong!" exclaimed Harleen " He's not well. Believe me, if you were treating him instead of me, you'd understand. Arthur is answering for his crimes by being locked in Arkham and receiving treatment, knowing he can never again walk the streets. It's for his own good"

" Agree to disagree, I suppose. Hey" Derek extends his arm and hand across the table and reaching for Harleen's hand, gently taking it into his palm " You're doing a good thing by helping these people and I'm not knocking you for it. Maybe your right, maybe you're seeing something in Arthur, that neither I nor anyone else wants to see. But I just hate to see you waste your time on someone who doesn't deserve your help" he said truthfully

Harleen smiled at Derek and gently squeezed his hand " Thank you, I appreciate you looking out for me. Really" they both leaned in and kissed each other softly on the lips

" I've had some good news to tell you," said Derek as he pulled away and sits back down in his chair. He grabs the wine bottle and begins pouring himself another glass, he then gestured if Harleen wanted one but she politely declined

Harleen looked at Derek " Do tell"

" I have been promoted to executive vice president at Wayne Enterprises" announced Derek as he places the bottle back on the table, picks up his glass and slightly swirls it around

" Baby, that's wonderful," said an ecstatic Harleen as she gives her boyfriend a small round of applause

Derek smirked while looking at the wine in his glass " Thank you, I've waited for this for a long time" he then brings the glass to his lips and gobbles up all alcohol in one fell swoop and when finished he gasped like any other would when feeling refreshed

" It's been a good day for both of us then. Congratulations, I know how close you and Thomas Wayne were" Harleen's smile faded as she remembers Thomas's son, Bruce Wayne, has been left all on his own with only a butler to care for him, following the deaths of his parents last year

"That poor boy"

Derek looked at Harleen and nodded " Yep! He would be proud of me if he could see me now. I tell you another thing, If it wasn't for that attention-seeking clown, Thomas would still be alive and Bruce would still have a father" he said harshly

Harleen greatly took offense to Derek's tone, especially when reading between the lines and blaming her for giving Arthur the time of day " He's not an attention seeker!" she hissed " Arthur is not an attention seeker and he's not a monster. He may have done horrible things and there's no excuse for what he did, but if you looked at his history. You would know full well he's suffering on a psychological level"

" Wake up, Harley. Every psychologist that has gone near him has either died or ran away, he should be put on death row as far as I'm concerned. Arthur doesn't show any remorse for the murders or the people that got hurt in the riot. He thinks it's funny and guys like him make me sick" snapped Derek

" Unbelievable!" Harleen shakes her head in disbelief " You could have just ended it with you getting a promotion or talk about something else. But you just had to bring up Arthur and again blame me for treating him" she swipes her napkin from her legs and threw it on her plate with disgust

Harleen frowned at Derek " What's even worse is it's only been my first day and already you're making your feelings clear, that you don't approve"

" I just don't want you to be made a fool of" replied Derek

" Well, you've just shown your real colors. You think I'm an idiot for taking him on and believe I'll fail. That's really nice, Derek. You don't see me criticize your work, do you" said a very hurt Harleen

_I'm not stupid. I know what Arthur has done and he's scared off those that have tried to help him. But for the love of God. WHY DOESN'T ANYBODY GIVE HIM A CHANCE? treat Arthur as any normal patient, despite his actions. Don't just treat him as if he's evil incarnate_, thought a frustrated Harleen

Derek immediately sees where he went wrong and how he had hurt his girlfriend is just by looking at her. It's not that he doesn't approve of her line of work, he really thinks it's admirable for Harleen to be doing that line of work. But he truly felt Arthur is bad news and it's only a matter of time before something bad happens to his girlfriend

"I'm sorry, Harley. I really am......" said an apologetic Derek but he is soon cut off

"I think you should leave" insisted Harleen as she folded her arms across her chest

Derek sighed as decided to respect his girlfriend's wishes and get up from his seat "I'll call you tomorrow. Yeah?"

Harleen said nothing in reply and watched Derek simply turn around, grabbing his briefcase from off the couch and heading for the front door. She sees him using his free hand to turn the doorknob and turning his head to look at her one more time before opening the door and leaving her apartment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention this is my first ever attempt at a Joker and Harley fanfic, especially set in this universe. When I watched Joker for the third time I got inspired to write this


	4. Nightfall

Arthur Fleck sits on the edge of his bed with his back pressed against the brick wall, he stares at the wall in front of him in a trance-like state. To anyone who walked past his room and dared to take a peek at what he's doing, they would see him just simply staring at a wall. But that's not all he's doing, he's thinking about his new therapist, Harleen, and the plans he has for her

_You think I can't intimidate you or make you leave? How bold of you Harley_

Arthur found Harleen's boldness a little amusing because he's the one wearing a straitjacket which restrained from doing anything, while Harleen sat comfortably in her own chair and able to move her arms and hands at will. None of his therapists have ever dared or claimed they weren't frightened of his antics or what he might do to them before, so this presents a new challenge for the demented clown

What will he do with Harleen? Wait till she feels comfortable enough for him not to be wearing a straitjacket and then make his move? Play mind games with her until she's chased out of Arkham permanently? Or will he strike her with only his legs and teeth?

So many options to choose from. Although Arthur feels that Harleen needed to be tested to see if she will really stick around, despite whatever twisted and horrible actions he may do towards her

And yet, Harleen does seem different compared to the others that have treated him the past. She seems so nice....compassionate even. The others would throw their judgemental gazes at him, scorn and treat him like he is Satan himself. Not really bothering trying to get to what they perceive to be the root causes of Arthur's illness

Arthur also thought it was interesting that Harleen watched him on Murray's show, explaining his actions and how he views society, before shooting Murray in the head

_I watched you on Murray's show delivering that heartfelt speech on how society treats someone like you. That wasn't Joker talking.....that is you, Arthur_

Arthur did somewhat believe Harleen that he really was saying those things to Murray, his audience and whoever else was watching him on TV. He did say those things, it was him but his spirit on the inside was dying and allowing his true nature to break free and finally take control

He didn't create Joker, society did after years and years of torment building up inside his bony body and fragile spirit. No matter what he did in those years leading up to those murders, Arthur was always taken for granted, lied to, manipulated, spat on and beaten senselessly

_Maybe Harley is different. Maybe.....just maybe she understands or at least she thinks she does_, thought Arthur

Who knows? Perhaps Arthur will do nothing to Harleen in the meantime and just feel her out a little more before making his move

Arthur stands to his feet, turns towards his left and walked over to the one window in his room, observing the tall buildings and busy streets in Gotham. All windows in Arkham had bars on them to prevent the patients from possibly breaking out, they even went as far as placing bars on the top floors

It didn't bother Arthur that he was confined to Arkham considering that he believed being in Arkham is the real world, unlike what he is seeing on the outside. In Arkham, everything made sense, people were their real selves or somewhat close. Unlike out there in Gotham or everywhere else, people pretending their not bad or simply don't give a damn, believing in law and order......civilization

However, that doesn't mean to say Arthur didn't want to return and spread more chaos to the streets, because he did. Arthur liked Arkham but he wanted to leave since he was getting tired of seeing the same people over and over. Besides, he's looking for a good laugh again

_Someday Gotham. Someday soon_

Arthur hears his door being unlocked, he swiftly turns around to find the same orderly that escorted him to Harleen's office earlier in the day, entering the room with his dinner on a tray

" Ted!" Arthur smiled in condescension " Is it that time again already?"

The orderly closes the door behind him, walked over to a chair beside Arthur's bed and places the tray on top of it. He then turned to face Arthur and scowls at him, the sight of this psychotic freak almost made him physically sick

Arthur quickly notices Ted turning his hand into a fist " I'll take that as a yes then" his smile grew bigger

" Fucking freak!" hissed Ted as he stormed his way over to Arthur and quickly knocks him to the ground with one punch

Instead of groaning, Arthur actually smiled and chuckled from being punched in the face. He looked up at his attacker and a light bulb went off in his head as he thought of another twisted joke

_It's perfect!_ thought Arthur

" You like it don't you, freak," said Ted as he slammed his foot into Arthur's chest" You like getting your ass whooped. Don't you?" he asked before kicking him again

" I do" nodded Arthur " I really do because you know why? It doesn't affect me...... not in the least bit slightest. I don't give a fuck!" he exclaimed

Ted kicked Arthur's lower stomach before stepping over him and started kicking Arthur's back. This normally became a routine thing between Ted and Arthur, whenever Ted was on duty, he brings Arthur his dinner, physically abuse him and then removes a couple of strains on the straitjacket, so Arthur could eat his meal

He would always target Arthur's back, chest and lower stomach, just so the bruises aren't visible and there would be no proof that he ever attacked this mad man. Ted also rarely punched Arthur in the face, to avoid the possibility of leaving him with a black eye

Ted continued kicking Arthur in the back and then change position to attack the lower stomach area. Arthur at this point is just smiling and laughing at the pain being inflicted on him

"Thank you, sir. May I have another?" requested Arthur because now he thought of a plan with Ted's attacks when usually he just laughed or smiled

****

  
After having a shower and changing into her pajamas, Harleen locked her front door, her windows, turned off all the lights, except for her bedside lamp and proceeded to snuggle into her queen size bed for the night with a book in hand

As Harleen opened up to the page where she last left it at, she begins thinking about her fight with Derek about being Arthur's therapist and telling Derek to leave her apartment, even though he had planned to sleepover

Harleen thinks about what Derek said and how she responded to him

_Was I too hard on him?_ thought Harleen as she tried desperately concentrating on the book she is reading

Harleen knew Derek meant well and he really cared about her, which made her feel a little guilty of throwing him out, after having a nice dinner and Derek telling her he had gotten a promotion at Wayne Enterprises. However, she couldn't just simply leave Arthur in the lurch just because her boyfriend said so

That's not in her nature at all. No matter the obstacle or how difficult it may be, Harleen never abandons her patient. She always sticks around and tried finding ways to treat them. After all that is why she is chosen to treat Arthur in the first place, it's because of her dedication and compassion

Harleen has her own mind and doesn't need anyone telling her what to do or when to do it. She's going to stick around, treat Arthur and find ways to help turn his life around. If not and Harleen finds that Arthur can't be treated, then she can know that she did her best and walk away from him. But not because of her boyfriend or anyone else telling her too

_Maybe I was hard on him but I wasn't wrong either. Derek should know me by now or at least appreciate my work ethic_

Harleen sighed in frustration as she closes her book and places it next to her bedside lamp, no longer interested or had any concentration in reading before going to sleep. Thanks to her thoughts and conflicted feelings over her boyfriend and Arthur

_Thanks a lot, Derek_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Arthur planning? And what about Harley? Will she forgive Derek?


	5. Opening Up

"Arthur!"

The artist formerly known as Arthur Fleck shifted his eyes towards his beautiful therapist, Harleen, while also wiggling around in his seat to get into a comfortable position. He really did hate having his arms confined to this stupid straitjacket. How can anyone be accustomed to it or have been an acceptable form of punishment is beyond him

" I'd like to discuss the incident of you killing those three employees of Wayne Enterprises. That and to get a glimpse into your life, your day to day struggles. What made you lash out and pull the trigger" requested Harleen as she watched Arthur squirm in his seat

_Maybe before our next session, I'll ask Duncan if he can have your straitjacket removed. I know why it's been put there, but honestly, I don't think it's necessary for me anymore_ thought Harleen

" Why? Heh," Arthur shakes his head " You know why, Harley. You watched my rant on MurRay's show. I killed those guys because they were awful" replied Arthur

" I know but listening to you on TV and in person are two different things. If I am to make any progress with you, get to the root cause of your personality disorder, I need to hear it from the horse's mouth" said Harleen

Arthur half-smiled at Harleen " You really do know how to make your patients feel special. Don't you? But since you seem like a nice woman compared to the others before you, I'll tell you what happened on that night. The struggles that Arthur endured"

" You, Arthur. You. Not, Joker. You" corrected Harleen

Arthur rolled his eyes " Fine, me. Every day I was miserable, Harley. I tried time and time and time again to be a good person, to do the right thing and more importantly, smile. All I wanted is for someone to show some compassion and form an emotional connection. But what did I get in return?" he paused for a few seconds " I get mugged, picked on, made fun of and no matter what I did, it just got worse and worse. My depression was at an all-time high and the thought of killing myself was........a beautiful thought" he smiled briefly before returning to his stoic gaze " But then I remembered my mother, the woman who needed me to take care of. The woman who could hardly move from her bed to the living room"

He looked away from Harleen to reminisce on his thoughts of Penny Fleck, the woman who he thought loved him and would do anything to protect him. Only to discover she was the root cause of his psychological problems and betrayed him in the worst way imaginable

" Yes, I read both the files on you and your mother. It's awful what happened to you, I still don't understand how social services allowed to have you back in her care. Even if she was granted release from Arkham" said Harleen sympathetically

Harleen can see from the way Arthur spoke about his mother it still affected him a great deal, she understood his needs for an emotional connection in this cruel dark world. Just another human being that is kind, caring and not judgemental. She still hasn't forgotten the murders Arthur carried out, but just hearing him pour his heart out made her understand him a little more

"Heh. She never got over being crazy, Harley. No one ever does, if they are smart and intelligent enough they'll do whatever it takes to be released. I just couldn't see it, until I came here to get her file to see if she really was crazy after hearing that Thomas Wayne might have been my biological father. Only to be told by the man himself and his butler, that she's insane" replied Arthur as he leaned forward, adjusted his position, leaned back and sat upright on his chair 

When Harleen heard Arthur's theory of someone like him wanting to be released from Arkham and they'll make up stories and make their therapists hear what they want to hear, it made her raise an eyebrow " Is that what you're doing now, Arthur? Are you feeding me false information in hopes of a possible release in the future?" her voice sounded terse

Arthur smiled at Harleen and shrugged his shoulders " Maybe I am and maybe I'm not. What do you think, Harley?" now deciding to play mind games with her

" I can't help you if you don't tell me what's really going on up there," said Harleen as she pointed one finger at her head

Harleen looked at Arthur intensely and trying to decide if he was really telling the truth now or just playing her for a fool. However, she couldn't get the answers she was looking for. When Arthur said that, it made it more difficult to get a clear picture of him

_You seem sincere but that could be my heart and feelings clouding my better judgment_, thought Harleen as she stared at Arthur

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle with Harleen's stare at him, trying to look into his heart and soul. It was really fun to play with people's emotions and make them think twice about him

" No, I'm telling the truth" relented Arthur " Everything I've told you is the truth. But to make you think twice and the way your looking at me is priceless" his smile grew wider

" This is not a game, Arthur. If you won't take these sessions seriously, then I'll just cancel them and let you rot in your cell for good. I don't want to do that, Arthur. It's not what I'm about, I want to help people like you. But I can't if you're not being straight with me. So do you promise what your telling me is the truth and you will take this seriously?" asked Harleen

_Maybe Derek was right about him_, thought Harleen as she now started to have second thoughts about treating Arthur

Arthur nods " I promise, Harley. Everything I've said to you now and when we first met is the truth. Scouts honor" satisfied that he could easily push her buttons

Harleen takes a deep breath and relaxes once again " Ok, good. Now that we've cleared that up. Let's get back to the topic at hand. We've discussed your mother and what your life has been like prior to the killings on the subway. Now take me to that exact night, your thoughts and feelings on those men. What made you pull that trigger"

" I had just finished performing the usual song and dance routine as a clown at a children's hospital until a gun fell out of my pocket. I didn't hide it as well as I did when I shot MurRay" said Arthur

" Wait" Harleen held out her hand " You brought a gun to a children's hospital?"

Arthur nods his head " Yep. You see, I was mugged by a group of kids when they stole my sign I was using to help a music store that was going out of business. They lured me to an alleyway and attacked me. So a former co-worker of mine by the name of Randall offered me a gun for protection. It sounds like a good idea, right? So I carried it around, in case if I got mugged again. But stupid me didn't put it in a good place which leads me to get fired with Randall telling my boss a different story. He framed me, saying I was trying to buy a gun off of him when clearly I didn't" he clarified

" Now, I understand. Continue" said Harleen

" So, I was on my way home on the subway. Miserable as usual and so angry at Randall for throwing me under the bus. Stupid me thought he was my friend or at least cared. He didn't. I was minding my own business until those three men got in and started harassing this woman that was sitting across from them and reading a book. She looked to me for help, so I did by laughing uncontrollably yada yada"

Harleen looked at Arthur and nodded " Then they turned their attention on you because of your illness, knowing once again you'll be picked on once again in order to save that woman" she deduced

"Correct. I didn't have to, but I couldn't let them harass an innocent woman who was minding her own business like me. If I didn't, who knows what they would have done to her. Probably gang-rape her" Arthur shrugged his shoulders 

" So they came over to me. One was singing a song about send in the clowns or whatever, while the other two were making fun of my laughter. I tried taking out my card and giving it to them, but that's when things got nasty. One snatched my bag, while the other held me back"

Arthur looked away from Harleen to bring himself back to that moment where he finally had enough of being treated like shit and decided to do something about it

" I got punched a few times before I was thrown to the ground and started getting kicked by all three of them and laughing at me. That was it, that was the final straw. Enough is enough" said Arthur as he looked back at Harleen again " I pulled out my gun and shot both of them. I shot the third guy in the leg as he tried running away from me. I waited until he got off the subway so I could stalk and prolong his suffering. I tell you, Harley, It felt good to hear him scream and cry for help. That was me for so many years and to be on the other side of it was amazing. Eventually, I shot his other leg and kept firing at him until he no longer breathed"

Arthur closed his eyes and imagined himself shooting that miserable fuck by the stairs again and stirring up all those feelings he had at that moment " I should have been terrified, perhaps be riddled with guilt for what I had done. But I didn't. Instead, I enjoyed it. It was beautiful, Harley. Of course, I had to leave before anyone spotted me, so I ran until I found a public toilet, locked myself in and just danced" he opened his eyes to look at her again

" It's like meeting a part of myself that I didn't know that even existed. A part of me that is stronger and more confident than Arthur Fleck will ever be. Someone that was smarter. If I could go back and change things, I wouldn't. I'd do it all over again"

" I think I understand you now, Arthur. While I don't condone what you did, but I understand. You simply had enough. You bottled all your emotions to the point it spilled over and just had to take it out on someone. I do agree that despite what you did, you saved that woman from something truly horrible happening to her" said Harleen

At that moment, Harleen truly believed that she is seeing the real Arthur Fleck. Sure, he was playing with her just five minutes ago, but as she listened to his story of killing those three guys, his thoughts and feelings, she knew he isn't bullshitting her

Harleen even admired Arthur for what he did. Sure, she didn't condone the way he handled those assholes, but to get back at the people at those who wronged you is something she wanted to do whenever she had been let down and picked on. She didn't want to murder anyone, just wanted to get even and cause pain, but her consciousness always got the better of her and steered her clear from carrying out any dark thoughts

" I don't care if you condone them or not, Harley. At that moment, I was done trying to live up to society's expectations and keep taking shit from them. They wanted me to be a freak, an outcast.......a monster and that's what they got. Funny isn't it?" asked Arthur as he remembered what his mother said to him about his purpose is to spread laughter and joy to the world

" My mother always told me that I was put on this Earth to smile and bring laughter to the world through standup comedy, but fate had other ideas for me. I do spread laughter and joy to the world, but in my own way" Arthur then began to chuckle at the thought

Still feeling tired from not getting enough sleep last night, Harleen reluctantly lets out a small yawn when hearing Arthur speak

" Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was boring you. You wanted me to be straight with you and I did. Sorry if it wasn't exciting as you thought it would" said Arthur in a sarcastic tone

Harleen shakes her head " No, forgive me. I'm not bored because of you, I'm glad you're being straight with me. It's just I didn't sleep very well last night" she confessed

" Thinking about me, were you?" teased Arthur

" No! Certainly not" blushed Harleen. She was thinking about Arthur constantly while also thinking about her fight with her boyfriend, but Arthur didn't need to know that

Arthur smirked when he sees Harleen blushing " I think you are. You were, weren't you? It's ok, everyone loves me nowadays. That's why there's a gang out there named after me, The Jokerz. Not that I care about them, but it's nice to know I have a fanbase"

" Not everything is about you, Arthur. Yes, I heard about the Jokerz. Trying to live up to what you did last year, but they haven't exactly sent shockwaves through Gotham. Just petty thefts, graffitis, dressing like clowns and attacking anyone who crosses them" replied Harleen

Arthur chuckled at Harleen and decided to tease her further " It's ok, Harley. I'll keep your little secret of having a crush on me. You have my word" as he moved to one side of his chair, he decided to play on his injury to his stomach by wincing

" Everything Ok?" asked Harleen

" Oh yeah, everything is just....." Arthur moved again and this time he groaned

" It doesn't sound like you're ok. What happened?" asked Harleen as she looked at the man with concern 

Arthur shakes his head " I'll be fine, trust me. I'm used to it"

_Used to it? What does he mean by that?_, thought Harleen

" Used to what?"

" It doesn't matter"

" I think it does matter, Arthur. If you are, what I thinking your feeling, you need to tell me" implored Harleen

Arthur looked longly at Harleen as a child would when being abused and asked to tell them the truth. Just when it looked like he was about to, he pulls back at the last second " Nothing, honestly. It's just something I ate this morning"

Harleen doubted Arthur's story of something bad that he ate, she knew he wanted to tell her the truth but became fearful in doing so. For now, she'll let it slide but certainly bring it up with her boss later on " Ok, If you say so" she looked down at her wristwatch " Looks like that's all the time we have for today" she said 

What she didn't know is when she looked at her watch, Arthur smiled knowing that he had planted a seed in her head of being abused by the orderlies. Which were, in fact, true, but he wanted to see how far he could get with having Harleen on her side and causing a scene

" Thank you, Arthur. Thank you for opening up to me and being straight" said Harleen as she looked back at Arthur who quickly stopped smiling when she did

" It's my pleasure. I like you, Harley. You're not like the others who just want to probe and poke me. You have a big heart that wants to understand where I'm coming from and genuinely want to help me" said Arthur truthfully while slowly standing to his feet

Harleen threw a warm smile at Arthur " Thank you and you're not so bad yourself. I knew If I was assigned to you, I would see more to you than what the media and my boss would have me believe. I'll see if I can get this jacket off of you for our next session as well"

" I'd like that" replied Arthur

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologizes for the long wait, I had to hold this off so I could finish off another story that needed finishing. Now that's done, I can focus solely on this


	6. Request Denied

The Director of Arkham State Hosptial, Duncan Johnson, lights up a cigarette in his office, puffing lightly while also preparing to read today's newspaper of Gotham News to catch up with world events and also reading the odd occasion of the degenerate Jokerz gang. In this case, the Jokerz were front news because they desecrated the tombstones of Thomas and Martha Wayne by putting the words "ha ha ha" all over it and drawing smiling clown faces with their name plastered in the middle

_Jesus!_ thought Duncan as his face showed great disgust at seeing the tombstones _What is this world coming to?_

Just as he is about to start reading, he hears a knock on his door. Duncan puts down the paper and glanced at the door in front of him " Come in"

The door opens and in comes Harleen Quinzel

"Sorry to bother you but I need to talk to you about something," said Harleen

Duncan smiled at the new therapist "No, not at all. Please, do come in" beckoning Harleen to take a seat in front of him 

"Thanks, I won't be long," said Harleen as she closed the door behind her and went over to the chair, Duncan is pointing at

" Let me guess. You're here to hand in your resignation or be asked to be assigned to a different patient?" asked the Director as he strongly believed that is why Harleen wanted to see him. After all, it's not the first time where he's had those that were assigned to treat Arthur Fleck to either quit or work with someone else

Harleen shakes her head as she sits down " Actually no. I have a different request in mind" 

" No?" Duncan raised one eyebrow at her " Well, that's a first. Many who tried to treat Mr. Fleck would often tell me they quit or want to work with other patients. I don't blame them given the fact that man is a complete and utter monster, who will never ever leave this facility"

Harleen held her tongue when Duncan called Arthur a monster when in fact he is the complete opposite, she hated when people call someone like Arthur a monster without trying to get to know them first. In this case, Arthur isn't a monster, he's just a victim of society's cruel treatment towards him and had enough of taking it on the chin  
  
"There's more to Mr. Fleck than meets the eye, Mr. Johnson. Just before I arrived, we were discussing the incident involving the shooting of those three Wayne Employees and what lead to Mr. Fleck pulling the trigger. Now, I don't condone it. Never will. But he opened up to me with his thoughts and feelings. It's given me a good insight into his personality"

Duncan lightly puffed on his cigarette while looking at Harleen in front of him " Are you sure he isn't lying? Mr. Fleck has been known to lie in the past and play mind games with those that tried to help him"

" He isn't lying, Mr. Johnson," said Harleen as she adjusted her glasses " Although, during the start of our session, it seemed that Mr. Fleck was preparing to do just that. But I laid down the law and told him that I would be more than willing to cancel our sessions if he didn't take them seriously and what he tells me is the truth. He agreed and I have no reason to suspect him for lying to me" she said confidently

Duncan nods his head in approval " Very good. So if you're not here to be removed. What is your request?"

" I would very much like it if the straitjacket is removed from Mr. Fleck. I believe he isn't a danger to me or to himself" answered Harleen

At that moment, Duncan bursts into laughter at Harleen's request and found it very amusing. He actually had to put his cigarette down on his ashtray and snuff it out, before the possibility of him dropping it and set fire to his office. What is even funnier to the Director is that Harleen is staring at him with a straight face

Harleen watched on as her boss laughed at her, she truly believed if Arthur is free from the restraints of his jacket he would do nothing to her and still respect their sessions. For the first few seconds, she didn't mind Duncan's laughter but as it went on, she became slightly annoyed at him

"Oh, shit. Hehehe, that's a good one, Ms. Qunizel. I haven't had a good laugh like this in a long time" said Duncan as he wiped away the tears in his eyes

" It's not a joke" replied Harleen

Duncan looked at Harleen for a few more seconds to find that she is deadly serious about having Arthur roam freely without a straitjacket. Which forced him to drop his humorous expression for a more serious one

" Absolutely, not. Mr. Fleck is a danger not just to himself or you, he's a danger to anyone who comes into contact with him. There's plenty of reasons why he is wearing a straitjacket, Ms. Quinzel. Besides, you've only had two sessions with him. If I were to remove it, you will be in harm's way" said Duncan in a patronizing tone

" I disagree. If he were to be allowed to sit like a normal human being, nothing will happen. Yes, I've only had two sessions with him and the request sounds ridiculous, but Mr. Fleck trusts me. He sees me as another human being that wants to understand him, to hear where he is coming from. Not just to be poked and prodded" replied Harleen 

Duncan shakes his head at her " It's not going to happen. Not until you've had a few more sessions and I see a breakthrough or some kind of progress in your reports in regards to that freak"

" You shouldn't call, Mr. Fleck a freak or a monster, Mr. Johnson. You're the Director of Arkham and it's your duty to treat all your patients with respect, care, and dignity. Even if they have killed people. It's not a good look" said Harleen in a terse voice

Duncan now looked at his colleague with disdain " Are you threatening me?" to him it certainly seemed like she is. He also didn't like how he is told to do his job by her or anyone for that matter

Harleen shakes her head " No. I just want you to be more respectful towards Mr. Fleck as you would with not just the other patients, but to me and anyone else outside this hospital"  
  
" Here!" exclaimed Duncan as he spins the newspaper around, so it's facing Harleen and pushes it close to her " Look at this photo" now pointing to the desecrated tombstones of the Waynes with the Jokerz initials of the name and a clown face placed in the middle with all the ha hahas

" How can I respect a man like Mr. Fleck when he has inspired people to do shit like this?" asked Duncan as his voice is now filled with terse

" It's because of that freak's actions, he's inspired a group of hoodlums to follow in his footsteps"

Harleen looked down at the newspaper and directly at the picture of the tombstone and observing the Jokerz handiwork. While in no doubt it was disrespectful, she didn't exactly feel the same feelings of anger and disgust that Duncan did. She often found Thomas Wayne to be very smug and acting like he's better than everyone else in Gotham, always talking down to people like her in a very patronizing way

But that doesn't mean Harleen liked what happened to Thomas or Martha for that matter, especially considering that their own son, Bruce Wayne, witness the whole thing right in front of him

_Maybe there are no good people left in this world_ thought Harleen as she stared down the photo while scanning the article

" But you are right about me being the boss of this facility. I should be more respectful and not let my personal feelings get in the way" said a disingenuous Duncan. He wasn't going to stop calling Arthur every name under the sun and share his disdain for the man, he just wasn't going to do it in front of Harleen anymore

Harleen easily sensed Duncan being disingenuous with her, but she decided to drop it for now because if she were to provoke him anymore or say something she may truly regret, she could lose her job and contact with Arthur

She shifted her eyes back to her boss and half smiled at him " I'm glad we can finally agree on something"

" Not to be rude. But shouldn't you be getting back to your office and writing up your report?" asked Duncan as he pulled the newspaper back in his direction, folded it in half and placed to the right edge of his desk 

Harleen stared at Duncan intensely and pondered the thought of telling him of her suspicions of Arthur being abused by one of the orderlies, but she decided against it. She believed Duncan would laugh at her again and tell her that Arthur is lying to her

So, she decided against telling Duncan for now, until Arthur tells her himself and gives her proof. Harleen wanted to bring up the subject, but she was not going to be laughed at again by Duncan 

" Indeed, I shall" replied Harleen as she stands up " Thank you for your time, Mr. Johnson. You'll have my report within the hour" she then turned around and left Duncan's office while muttering the word _Asshole_ under her breath

****

Instead of going directly to her office, Harleen walked all the way over to Arthur's cell to tell him that she was unsuccessful in getting Duncan's approval to have the straitjacket removed for their next session. She could have easily waited until tomorrow but figured she owed it to him and didn't have anywhere else to be at this particular time

Harleen stormed her way down the corridors, passing both patients, orderlies, and other co-workers nearby. At times she would often smile, wave and say hi, to anyone who said it to her first. She then thinks back to the photo of the tombstones of the Waynes and how The Jokerz decorated it

_Serves them fucking right. At least Thomas anyway. Wait! What am I saying? They didn't deserve to die....well Martha didn't. Harley! You shouldn't be thinking like this at all. What happened was horrible and poor Bruce will grow up without a mother and a father. No child should have to see that. Ugh, why do things have to be so complicated?_, thought a now conflicted Harleen as she tried pushing away those dark thoughts while making her way towards Arthur's cell 

In a few seconds Harleen finally arrived outside of Arthur's cell and through the small window placed in the middle of the door, she sees Arthur with his back to her without his straitjacket as he stares out of the window and onto the streets of Gotham

Arthur catches the glimpse of Harleen peaking at him through the window and smiled to himself as he pretended to make her believe he had no idea that she is watching him

Harleen knocked on Arthur's door twice and presses a small black button next to the door, which is another way to make contact with him or any other patient if they didn't want to go directly inside the cell. When she pressed the button, there is a small buzz that echoed throughout Arthur's cell

Arthur turned around and pretended to be surprised at Harleen by smiling warmly at her " If it isn't my favorite therapist in the whole world. What do I owe the sudden pleasure?" he asked as he walked towards the door to look at Harleen through the window 

" I have some bad news, Arthur. My boss has denied my request to have your straitjacket removed from our next session onwards" informed Harleen

Arthur made a long face at Harleen's news " Well that's a pity. I was looking forward to talking with you and just walking around without my arms confined. Oh well. You tried"

" However, he did say that if our sessions make major progress. Not to say there hasn't been any progress already because there has with what we talked about earlier, but if it continues than you may well be free from the jacket for good" said Harleen

Arthur smiled at Harleen and decided to tease her again " Let's be honest, the real reason you're here is that you can't get enough of me. Can you? You wanted to see me again before making that little report to give to I'm Warden Idiot, you'll never escape" he then chuckled at his own joke

Harleen couldn't help but chuckle at Arthur's joke as well " No!" she replied playfully as a child would when they have been caught doing something they shouldn't do and try to deny it " Of course not, I just felt like you should know is all"

She then looked over at her left side and then her right before shifting her eyes back at her patient " He is a bit of an idiot, isn't he? So full of himself" rolling her eyes at Arthur

" Oh! Looks like Harley has joined the people suck club. I was beginning to think I was going to be the only member for the rest of my life" said Arthur in a joyful tone

" Yeah, well. I thought you should know what's happening. I better get back to my office and write my report. See you tomorrow, Arthur" replied Harleen as she smiled warmly at him

Arthur nodded his head " I hope at least I get a gold star for my effort today"

" Maybe you will and maybe you won't. What do you think, Arthur?" asked Harleen as she playfully reminded him of when he tried to play mind games with her during their session and even gives him a wink before walking off


	7. Pizzeria

Harleen tried calling Derek for the third time today in her office but still kept getting no response and only his answering machine instead " Goddamn it" she hung up as soon as it went to voice mail and slammed the phone down on the hook. She then leaned back in her chair and sighed

_I guess I shouldn't be too mad at him. He does have valid reasons to be protective over me in regards to treating Arthur, but I know in my heart and soul that I'm not in any danger with him. Truth be told I think I and Arthur have an understanding. A connection maybe?_ thought Harleen as she stared down at her recently written report file on Arthur and their discussion about the subway murders

Harleen truly believed she is now seeing the real Arthur Fleck as they peel off the clown makeup, the media's reputation of him being a monster and evil incarnate, that and Arthur no longer putting up the facade that the Joker aspect to him is a split personality. Arthur accepted the fact that he is the one that committed these crimes, not something or someone else as justification 

She feels that Arthur's descent into madness is a combination of two things - Society and the betrayal of his mother. Society always pushed, prodded and picked on Arthur just because he was different, an outcast and so weak that he'll just keep taking it on the chin. His mother, Penny Fleck, well what else can be said about her mental problems and the fact she allowed her ex to mercilessly beat Arthur without a second thought and also fill his head with thoughts that Thomas Wayne is his real father

_He never had a chance. Not really. The fact that he had to resort to murder and make people fear him to truly be happy is more depressing than all the shit he endured before the subway murders_ thought a sympathetic Harleen as she continued reading her report of Arthur's thoughts and feelings about the incident 

Harleen knows Arthur will never be allowed to walk free from Arkham at the risk of causing more death and chaos in the streets, there's just no way that the mayor or the board of directors will ever allow that to happen. However, that won't stop her from trying to help treat Arthur's condition and change him for the better

In fact, it was better for Arthur to remain in Arkham than continue living a second longer in Gotham. At least under her care and supervision, Arthur will get the understanding and empathy from Harleen as long as he is being truthful with her and not resorting to mind games. Besides no one else will ever come to accept or forgive Arthur for what he has done, he'll always be looked down upon, even with his newfound status, but the only difference is that the Arthur of now will no longer care what they think compared to the old Arthur 

" I guess I better hand it in" sighed Harleen as she opened up Arthur's file and placed her notes and report forms neatly inside the file. She then gets up off her chair, tucks the file underneath her right arm and leaves her office

As Harleen walked down the corridors and passing through the orderlies nearby, her thoughts now drifted to the article of The Jokerz spray painting and desecrating the tombstones of Thomas and Martha Wayne. She thought about the gang especially, the other crimes they have committed and idolizing their hero, Arthur

Hell. Harleen thought about the clown movement before The Jokerz were even formed or Arthur calling himself Joker. The entire movement happened because of the subway murders, the people of the lower class had enough of the corrupt system where the rich and the elite always held them back and taking everything from them 

It was all because of Arthur's actions on the subway that sparked this movement and the formation of the Jokerz. However, what the people and the Jokerz don't know that Harleen knows is Arthur didn't do what he did to start a movement or be a symbol, he did it for his own benefit and could really care less what those people thought 

_Amazing and yet terrifying at the same time. One man's actions changed the entire city, maybe even the world as we know it_ thought Harleen as she turned down the next corridor and headed straight for Duncan's office

Like before when coming to Duncan's front door, Harleen knocked three times and waited for his response

" Come in"

Harleen opened the door " Report on Mr. Fleck's file in regards to our session today" she informed as she entered the room and placed the file on Duncan's desk

Duncan nodded his head as he begins lighting up another cigarette while keeping his eyes trained on Harleen in front of him " Thank you, Ms. Quinzel. I sure hope you managed to get some sort of breakthrough with him or something that none of your predecessors couldn't"

" I think you'll be pleasantly surprised" replied Harleen as she turned around and begin making her way out of the room until she heard something from her boss that made her stop in the doorway

" You're not getting attached to Mr. Fleck, are you? You've only had two sessions with him and I hate to think that your feelings will could your professional analysis on the man" said Duncan as he beings lightly puffing on his cigarette

The fact Duncan even asked Harleen this made her angry, however, she manages to contain her anger and not let it bubble to the surface. The fact that he would even ask her that was not only offensive but insulting to her

" No," said Harleen calmly as she turned around to face her boss again " I treat Mr. Fleck as I do with my other patients. I only want what's best for them and to help overcome their demons to better themselves. Do I think having a bit of compassion and understanding affects my judgment or is wrong?" she shakes her head " No. People need to realize that guys like Mr. Fleck have someone in their corner. Someone to talk to and be their voice. Not to be poked, prodded and analyzed without any understanding"

Duncan didn't take his eyes dark brown eyes off Harleen as he removes the cigarette from his mouth and blew smoke into the air " That's all I need to know. Thank you" he then made a gesture with his eyes for Harleen to leave 

_Dick!_ thought Harleen as she nods her head " See you tomorrow"

Harleen turns around again and left Duncan's office in quick fashion. She couldn't believe the audacity from Duncan to question her professional practice with Arthur and having possible feelings that may cloud her judgment. She knows in her heart that she doesn't have any feelings other than a professional basis with him 

Or does she?

  
****

After leaving Arkham State Hosptial in her 1982 Nissan Bluebird TRX vehicle, Harleen decided to head to her favorite Pizza joint - Vito's Pizzaria to have pizza for dinner since she couldn't be bothered heading home to cook something for herself. Harleen now finds herself waiting for the green light to appear before she can turn down left

Harleen quickly observes the people walking past each other on the sidewalk and smiled to herself, noticing the numerous piles of garbage bags were no longer around. The garbage strike had ended as soon as the new mayor, Hamilton Hill, came into power and gave the garbage employees a bump in their raise and equal pay as well

_Thank fuck there are no more garbage bags on every street corner or within 5 seconds of wherever your walking too. Not only was the smell horrendous but just dealing with your garbage was a real struggle without the guys coming to collect it_

Harleen quickly snapped out of her thoughts as she sees the green light appearing at the traffic lights and beings driving again

_How did Arthur manage to put up with all the abuse for so long before finally snapping? If I was in his situation, I probably would have snapped a long time ago. Maybe not as a clown, but I would have snapped if I didn't have the support of my family who actually cared around me. That and Derek as well. Friends? Heh I lucked out in that department_

It is true what Harleen said about her family and her boyfriend. They all did care about her and would always be around for her whenever she was feeling down about herself or how her day was. She wasn't the most popular girl in school or college, always had her nose in the books and did suffer from low self-esteem until Derek arrived and changed everything. If she didn't have him or her parents, maybe she might have ended up in Arkham instead of Arthur  
  
Just by listening to Arthur and reading his file, it made Harleen feel very appreciative of those around her. Maybe, just maybe if Arthur had the same support, unconditional love, and understanding, he would not have turned out to be the man that he is

_Life can be so fucking cruel at times_

After turning down two more streets, Harleen finally arrives at Vito's Pizzeria. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to get a park outside the place and had to park across the street, and near an alleyway, but she didn't mind. It wasn't very far away and traffic around this part of Gotham wasn't too bad

Harleen gets out of her car, closes the door and locks it. She then looked both ways across the street to see any signs of cars coming towards her. There is one but it was pretty far away from where she is, so it allowed her to cross over to where Vito's is before the car passed her. She walked in between two cars, stepped on the sidewalk and headed straight inside the building

Every time she entered she is always greeted with the fresh smell of pizza cooking in the oven. The reason she loved Vito's Pizzeria more than the other pizza and fast food places is because not only the pizzas are made fresh or that the place itself is clean, but the owner himself is very polite and friendly with his customers

Harleen sees Vito, an elderly man in his late 70's with full-on grey hair and blue eyes sitting behind the counter doing a crossword puzzle and walks over to him " Hey, Vito. Mama's back" she said in a playful way

Vito looks up from his crossword puzzle to see Harleen coming towards him " Harley, my favorite customer. How're things?" he asked her while putting his crossword book down and standing up from his seat

" Eh, it's ok. One of those days where you can't wait to get home from work, do nothing and eat something yummy at the same time" replied Harleen with a smile

Vito smiled back " Ain't that the truth. So let me guess.....classic cheese with a side of garlic bread?" he asked Harleen, even though he already knew the answer

" You know me too well. I'd also like a can of coca-cola if that's not too much trouble. In fact, can you make it the pizza with extra cheese this time?" asked Harleen

Vito smiled and nodded his head " Absolutely" he then went right to work on making the pizza for her

" Thank you. You're a lifesaver" replied Harleen as she opened her purse and begin taking out her money " How's Gabrielle?"

" She's fine, thanks for asking. Our anniversary is coming up in two weeks and after years and years of scrimping and saving, I'm planning to take her to the Bahamas" answered Vito while making the pizza

Harleen couldn't help but say " Aww" because of how sweet Vito's plan is for his wife and their anniversary " That is so sweet. She'll be very happy to have that. I know I would be"

" Yeah, and it would do us some good to get away from Gotham for a while. We may have been lucky to have stayed this long without being robbed, but just the thought of not having to even consider that while we are away will be a huge relief" answered Vito while he started making the dough

Harleen raised one eyebrow as she watched Vito making her pizza " Why not use the money to leave Gotham?" she asked him in a confused matter

Vito stopped what he is doing for a moment, turned to Harleen and pouted " And to think you were my favorite customer" he teased " Nah. Call us crazy but despite the crime in this city and with what the Jokerz are doing, Gotham is our home. It always has been and always will be. It's where we met, it's where we made a life for ourselves"

" I hear ya. Gotham is my home too. I'll miss you and getting your delicious pizzas for a while. But hey, I know the both of you will have a great time" Harleen smiled at him 

****

  
With her pizza, garlic bread and can of coke paid for, Harleen begins carrying her items back towards her car. Again she looks both ways before crossing the train, this time through a car is within inches of her about to cross so she waited until it passed before crossing the road

Harleen fumbles for her keys in her pocket, while also trying to balance her dinner and drink in one hand without it falling to the road, luckily she manages to get her key without dropping anything and unlocks her car. She then opens up one of the right-back doors, places her pizza and garlic bread down along with her drink, bag and shuts the door 

As Harleen begins walking around to the right side of her car and opening the door, she doesn't notice that danger is lurking within the alleyway as one of the members of the Jokerz quickly appears behind her. This man is 6 FT 1 with a jester hat over his head, a black leather jacket over his wife-beater shirt and blue jeans. He also wore face paint that almost resembled Arthur's but without the blue shapes around his eyes, choosing to darken his eyes with black paint and no red eyebrow

The man wraps one hand around Harleen's mouth to prevent her from screaming while using his other arm to hold onto Harleen's waist. This sudden action caused Harleen to yelp through muffled sounds as she is taken to the alleyway where other members of the Jokerz including their leader were lurking in

Like the man holding Harleen tightly with his grasp, the other Jokerz members either wore face paint or clown masks with some choosing to wear custom clown-like outfits. Harleen could see at least seven of them in total, with one that stood out the most compared to the others. This one bore a similar resemblance to Arthur's Joker look. He had the face paint, the green hair but his suit was different. He wore a dark purple coat with a dark green shirt and purple scarf underneath, dark purple pants and black shoes

" Pin her to the wall" ordered the leader as he smiled at his new victim 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will The Jokerz do to Harley? Stay tuned for the next chapter


	8. Option C

The clown throws Harleen to the brick wall behind her and pinning both of her shoulders with his hands " What shall we do with her boss?" he asked while also giving Arthur's therapist a lustful look

Harleen tries her best to not let allow these men in having any satisfaction of seeing her scared, despite the fact she could feel her heart thumping in her chest. She takes a good look at the man pinning her to the wall and seeing his clown makeup before shifting her gaze onto the other members of the Jokerz, especially their leader again 

" You're them aren't you? You're The Jokerz"

The leader smiled proudly at his prey " Give the cute woman a gold star. That is right. We are The Jokerz, Joker's most dedicated and loyal followers" he replied as he held out both arms and bent in front of Harleen like a performer would at a circus or acting on stage, ready to receive praise from his audience

" Judging by your resemblance to The Joker himself, despite the fact your suit is purple and Joker's was red. You're their leader...... a wannabe. Actually, the purple looks better than red" commented Harleen while she started to feel very uncomfortable with her back pressed into the brick wall

The leader walked over to Harleen and brandishes a large knife in front of her " You better watch what you say, bitch. Otherwise, I'll cut up that pretty little face of yours. I'm no wannabe. We are no wannabes. We are dedicated to Joker's cause and we will make him proud"

Harleen realizes that the leader means business and with all the uncomfortable looks she was receiving from the others, she wanted to leave the alleyway in one piece " Ok, listen. I don't want any trouble from you people. I don't have any money on me now.....I spent it on dinner which is resting in my car over there" she nudged her head forward to show the leader where her car is

The leader briefly turns his head to look past his minion and over at Harleen's Nissan Bluebird TRX

" It's a large double cheese pizza with some garlic bread and a can of coke," said a reluctant Harleen because she was really looking forward to having pizza and garlic bread this evening, but if it means giving it up to save her own skin, then she'll do it

The leader nodded his head as he begins contemplating taking Harleen's dinner from her in exchange for her life or worse a gang rape " Tempting. Tempting. We sure do like pizza don't we boys?"

The other members of The Jokerz all nodded and grunted in unison

" It's all yours, just please let me go. Mister uhh......."

" J Man" answered J Man

_Seriously? That's the best name he could come up with?_ thought Harleen

" What do you think boys? Shall we let this pretty lady go and take her up on her dinner?" J Man asked his men

Nearly all of the Jokerz declined Harleen's offer by either shaking their heads or grunting the word no, wanting to have a good time with their prey instead. There were only two members of the group that wanted to eat the pizza and garlic bread instead

J Man turned to Harleen and shrugs his shoulders " Sorry, babe. The mob has spoken. Maybe we work something else out instead" a smirk cracked across his face as he eyed Harleen's slim body and slight curves

" How bout you give us a good time and we'll let you go"

Harleen swallows a lump in her throat as her situation with the Jokerz becomes much bleaker with the clowns wanting to sleep with her instead of taking her dinner as an offering. She didn't have any experience in martial arts and if she did, she had doubts she'd be able to take down seven men in order to escape

" Please......Just take the pizza. I'm no good....really" pleaded Harleen

" You don't get it. Do you? This is not a suggestion, babe. We're telling you. You either do this or you'll die" smirked J Man and started to chuckle at Harleen's despair " It's simple as that" 

Harleen looked over the other members and sees some of them starting to undo their pants, her eyes widen in horror as all hope for her to escape without having to give her self over to these men seemed lost

" So what's it to be?" asked J Man

Harleen didn't respond because she became paralyzed with fear and every time she tried to open her mouth and answer J Man, nothing came out. Just the thought of having the Jokerz surrounding her and making her do things she didn't want to do is too much to bear for the beautiful blonde

When she didn't respond, J Man decided to stick the tip of the blade of his knife and point it directly at Harleen's throat as a way of forcing her to make her decision " I will ask you one more time. Be a little slut for us or die. Trust me, you don't want option B" he said

_What am I going to do? Fuck, fuck, FUCK! Why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this? I wish Derek or Arthur were here to save me from these animals. Arthur......Arthur. Wait a minute! _thought Harleen as a lightbulb went off in her head which caused her to smile at J Man

Judging by Harleen's smile, J Man believed that Harleen had decided to pick the first option instead. It didn't matter if she did though, he and his men were still going to rape her one way or another and their take their time in killing her

" So you come to the right decision I take it?" asked J Man

_It seems like a long shot but it could work If I play my cards right. Besides, I doubt all of these bozos would be smart enough to actually challenge me_ thought Harleen as she continued smiling at J Man

" Well? I'm waiting" said J Man impatiently 

_Fuck it. I'll do it. It's not like I have any other options at this point_ Harleen smiled and nodded at the leader of the Jokerz

" How bout Option C?"

" Option C? What's option C?" asked J Man as he raised an eyebrow

Harleen's smile quickly faded and in its place is a stern look, it's almost like another being has taken over her body, removing all signs of fear and replacing it with confidence and determination

" Option C is informing The Joker himself about what his cult of followers have done to his woman and he will not like that one bit," said a confident Harleen as she sees all members of the Jokerz including J Man look in shock at this revelation

" That's right, I'm Joker's woman and he doesn't like it when other people take advantage of me. When he hears about this, all of you will wish you had gone to school, clean up your act and get real jobs"

J Man stared quizzically at the woman in front of him " You're lying. You're not Joker's girlfriend" he replied while keeping his knife pointed at Harleen's throat

" You wanna test it, J Man? Ha! Please. What kind of name is J Man anyway? Oh look at me, I'm mister J Man, I'm Joker's number one groupie. Look at me, Mister Joker sir, I'm doing a shit job at carrying out your work. I'll never be as good as you" mocked Harleen as she then rolled her eyes at J Man and shakes her head

J Man seethed with anger as he pressed the blade into Harleen's throat " SHUT UP! Say one more word and I'll fucking gut you like a fish. Nobody mocks me and gets away with it. I'm not a groupie or a wannabe. I am a dedicated follower who believes in anarchy. I hate the system... I hate the rich. I'm sick of denying my true self"

" You're nothing like Joker and you never will be. He created an impact on this city that is still being felt today. The murders.....the riot. Everyone knows who he is and what he has done. You guys?" Harleen takes her eyes off J Man to look at the Jokerz and scoffs" You guys are just a typical street gang that's looking for an excuse. Joker? He had no excuse. He was created this way because of the rich pigs and guys like you" she then looked back at J Man

Harleen couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth or how she now oozed with confidence compared to five minutes ago where she was terrified by these idiots. The Jokerz and J Man himself no longer looked menacing like a pack of wolves and more like little boys trying to be bad but failed miserably. She almost feels like a new woman that has been reborn

She then thinks back to her conversation with Arthur about the subway murders and how it changed his life forever _So this is what he meant when finding a side to himself that was much stronger and more confident than what he previously displayed_

" I'll admit desecrating the tombstones of Thomas and Martha Wayne was a nice touch, a step up from what you guys were already doing. It's something Joker may have done if he wasn't locked up in Arkham State Hosptial. But let's face it, you're a one-trick pony aren't you?"

J Man begins to re-access his situation with Harleen as he removes his knife from Harleen's throat and takes a step back to gather his thoughts. _Could she be telling the truth? Is she really Joker's girlfriend?_

" How do we know you're telling the truth?" asked J Man as he looked at her again

Harleen met J Man's uncertain gaze " I'm Joker's doctor at Arkham State. I can arrange a meeting with your idol but not in that get up" she replied

_What the fuck are you saying, Harley? You just totally risked your job with these bozos. Plus what the hell will Arthur say?_ thought Harleen as she locked eyes with the clown still pinning her to the wall " Get this idiot off of me"

" You heard the woman, Turk. Let her go" said J Man

Turk looked at J Man oddly " But boss"

" I SAID DO IT!" yelled the leader

Turk finally releases his grip from Harleen's shoulders and takes a step back. This allowed Harleen to dust herself off and straighten her brown coat

" You can really get me a meeting with Joker? And if your his girlfriend why haven't you helped him escape from Arkham?" asked J Man

_I can't believe this shit is working_ Harleen smiled at J Man " I can get you a meeting with your idol. As for not breaking him out, he doesn't want to leave Arkham just yet. He's planning something big for Gotham, he wants to make a big show of his return" _Wow I'm on fire tonight_

J Man nodded his head " Next week, I want a meeting with him. No excuses and no cancellations. I want it done" he demanded

" Only if you promise to behave and act like a good boy. You can start by letting me leave and return home" replied Harleen

J Man nodded again " You got yourself a deal. Here" he uses his free hand to reach for the hidden pocket inside his purple coat and takes out a card with a number on it and hands it to Joker's therapist " Call this number when it's all arranged. I'll be there"

He wasn't totally sure if Harleen is telling the truth but he couldn't pass up the chance to meet Joker, gain his approval for starting the Jokerz in his honor and perhaps gain more inspiration on how to terrorize Gotham as Joker would himself

" See. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Harleen takes J Man's card and stuffs it into her pocket " You better look presentable for when the time comes" she walked past J Man and bumping shoulders with the man that grabbed her before heading straight to her car

While Harleen picked up her keys from where she was grabbed to open the driver's door, the Jokerz watched on in the alleyway as they couldn't believe what just happened. They went from terrifying the woman with an intent to rape her to being bossed around and calling off their attack

As soon as Harleen got in her car and put the seatbelt on, she drives away from the area and instead of going straight for her apartment, she decided to head to a more secluded part of Gotham to really process everything that had just happened with the amount of adrenaline rushing through her body

She finds herself parking her car at the docks and looks from her left to her right to see if anyone is around, to her relief there is no one in sight, not a single soul around. From there, Harleen lets out a loud primal scream and bangs her steering wheel a few times

When the scream finally subsided and feeling a huge sense of relief, Harleen now started to process her encounter with The Jokerz. She went from being fearful for her life and the possibility of being raped to a woman who made their leader look like a chump and claiming she's Arthur's girlfriend

It all happened so fast. Harleen may have escaped with her life and dignity intact but she now has to live up to her promise of setting up a meeting between J Man and Joker or she may not be so lucky a second time

_What have I gotten myself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, this was meant to be updated last week but I was hit with an unexpected family emergency


	9. Harley's Favor

There is complete and utter silence between Arthur Fleck and Harleen Quinzell as the third session started only five seconds ago. Usually, Harleen would be the one to start the conversation with the usual routine of asking how Arthur is, things like that before going in-depth and looking further into his psyche

But not this time, Harleen just stared almost blankly at Arthur as thoughts raced through her mind about her encounter with The Jokerz and how to explain it to her patient as best she could and how he'll react to it

Arthur stared back at Harleen with amusement, he can tell something is troubling her because usually, the silence between them doesn't last very long. His eyes scan her entire body from head to toe and then looks straight into her eyes, trying to get a glimpse or sign of her distress

_How am I going to explain it to him? Hey, I ran into your little fan club and their leader wants to meet with you next week. is that fine? Cause if you don't and If I run into them again, I'll probably be dead,_ thought an anxious Harleen as she kept her eyes trained on Arthur watching her

Harleen has both of her hands grip her short black skirt while trying to keep her self calm and composed as she had a job to do, but she couldn't stop thinking about J Man, her promise to him and how she managed to stare danger in the face and just barely walk away unscathed

" I think this is the part where you're supposed to ask how I am and did I sleep well and all that shit," said Arthur as he decided to be the one to break the ice between them

" Sorry. You're right, I should be asking you those things. It's just that......" paused Harleen  
  
" Just what?" asked Arthur with one eyebrow raised curiously

As Harleen looked at Arthur, she found herself staring longingly into his green emerald eyes and started to immediately feel her troubles melting away. She felt a sense of calm coming over her, she usually felt this way when she's with Derek after a bad day or just wanting to be intimate with him

She didn't know why she suddenly started to feel this way with Gotham's most despised citizen. Arthur is her patient and the only feelings she has for him are platonic, nothing more. Perhaps she didn't sleep very well following her incident with J Man or maybe it's because she knew in her heart that one way or another Arthur would take care of those pricks for her

When he didn't get a response, Arthur decided to tease Harleen for having feelings for him " You're in love with me. Aren't you? It's ok, I don't blame you. After all, I am the sexiest man alive" cracking a smile across his thin face

Harleen smiled back at Arthur and shakes her head " No! Of course not. Maybe In your dreams", she said playfully as she lets go of her skirt and starts to loosen up

" Oh come now, Harley. I see the way you look at me. Those brown eyes locking with mine. Heh. Don't be ashamed to admit it, I'm not" teased Arthur

" You're in love with me?" asked a surprised Harleen as she now had an eyebrow raised

Arthur shrugs his shoulders playfully and pouts his lips " I know that I like you and think you're a nice person. Pretty too. I feel entirely comfortable around you, Harley. Unlike the others who were all blah blah blah" rolling his eyes

_I know you feel something for me. Just admit it_, thought Arthur as he smiled at her again 

" Sorry to disappoint you, Arthur. I don't have any feels that go beyond the norm of....." Harleen paused for a brief second " Friends. Purely platonic"

Arthur jerked back in his seat as if Harleen had pointed a gun at him and shot him directly in the heart " You really do know how to let a man down gently don't you? And they say, I'm a monster" he pouted

" You asked and I answered" replied Harleen as she smiled at him

Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Harleen did feel something a bit more for Arthur than just platonic feelings. Not only does she feel completely safe around him, but he also makes her smile and even laugh. Sure, her boyfriend manages to make her smile and laugh, but with Arthur, it's a different story

There's just something about him that not only amuses her but is drawn to. Harleen has seen a side to Arthur that no one has or will ever accept

" I better stop writing my love letters to you then" joked Arthur " Seriously though. What's wrong? I can tell somethings up with you"

" Well, there is something" replied Harleen as her smile quickly faded " Something that concerns you and I don't know how to explain it. Hell, this is supposed to be about you and digging deeper into your past and to understand more of why you .....well. Did what you did" she adjusts herself in her seat to get into a more comfortable position 

Arthur leaned slightly forward in his chair " Harley, I appreciate your kindness and compassion for wanting to help me. I do. But, how can you help me when something is bothering you? And if you say it concerns me. You need to tell me. We can help each other out"

Harleen locked eyes with Arthur again and smiled again " You're sweet" she nods her head and takes a deep breath " Ok, here goes. Yesterday when I was driving home, I decided to stop and get pizza at my favorite pizza joint. I got my dinner, placed them in the car and before I could drive off, I was grabbed from behind and pulled into an alleyway nearby" she explained

" Who grabbed you?" asked Arthur as he leaned back in his chair

" The Jokerz. They had me pinned against the wall and their plan was to rape me" confessed Harleen

_The Jokerz. Rape? Pfft they call themselves my loyal fans and dedicated to my cause,_ thought a disappointed Arthur as he waited for Harleen to continue her story

" I tried to offer them my dinner instead, but they wouldn't listen. They wanted me, especially their leader who dressed like you. But instead of wearing a red suit, he wore a purple one instead. He called himself, J Man" said Harleen as her smile grew wider at the thought how stupid that name was 

At that moment, Arthur burst into a roar of laughter, the very same laughter he's well known for during his time in Arkham and when he was causing mayhem in the streets of Gotham. He too thought that a man calling himself, J Man, is the stupidest thing he had ever heard

Arthur rocked back and forth in his seat, tears streaming down his cheeks, he just couldn't help himself " J... J man. Are you serious? J Man.......J Man!! What a moron"

This laughter caused Harleen to laugh as well as she couldn't help but admire her patient's unique laughter " I know. I couldn't believe it myself when he told me. Like why not Bozo? Because that's what he is a Bozo. At least you had a good one " she said through fits of laughter

_J Man.....J Man. The name itself shows the man has no style. Just a cheap discounter of the original, _thought Arthur as his laughter caused him to choke and he now had to stop himself and regain his composure

Harleen takes off her glasses to wipe away the tears in her eyes before pulling out a small cloth to wipe her glasses while smiling to herself. She felt bad for making Arthur laughing to the point where he began to choke

" So.....so what happens next? I'm sorry for laughing like that but that name" said, Arthur while smiling

" Don't be" Harleen shakes her head and smiled at him as she puts her glasses back on " It's a stupid name. Anyway, as the situation looked bleak for me, I recalled our conversation about the subway murders and how it changed you. Then...I don't know.....something came over me" she confessed

" Before I was scared and petrified at being raped but then I was cool as a cucumber. I gave them the idea that I was your girlfriend and if anything happened to me, you would make them pay for it"

Arthur tilted his head slightly towards his left and smirked at Harleen" Really? How about that. Harley does have a crush on me" he joked

Harleen rolled her eyes at Arthur " Yeah, yeah. To my surprise, those idiots bought it but this is where things get a bit dicey. In order to prove my ahem", she holds up two fingers in both hands and bends them " Relationship with you. I promised that I would get you to meet with J Man next week, as long as made himself look presentable"

_I'm glad to finally got that off my chest_ thought Harleen as she feels a huge amount of weight lifted from her shoulders

Arthur said nothing and just stared at Harleen as he thought about what she said What an interesting turn of events. He's both impressed and surprised to hear Harleen not only thinking on her feet and staring danger in the face but also when she revealed that something came over. A new side to her that made her feel strong and confident

_You are full of surprises, Harley. I wonder.....are you like me? Just waiting to break free_

" I know it's a huge ask of you and I know I'm putting my job and life in major jeopardy by asking you to meet with this man. But If you don't, I think they will come after me and kill me" Harleen said worryingly as she looked at Arthur

Again, Arthur didn't respond to Harleen, just stared at her with great interest. He didn't think she would do anything like this. She seemed so innocent, pure even._ But you're not pure are you_

As the silence lingered between them and with Arthur's constant stare, this started to make Harleen feel very uncomfortable and regret opening up to him. She hated the silence between them, especially since only a moment ago they were laughing and joking with each other

_Why are you looking at me like that? Just say something. Anything. If you don't, then I'll have no choice but to resign and leave Gotham. I don't want to do that but if you don't help me, then we can never see each other again. Much as I hate that idea_, thought Harleen as the silence made her very anxious

" S...so. what do you think? It's ok if you say no. It just means, we can't see each other anymore" said Harleen as she looked away from Arthur

_A meeting with the leader of Jokerz could be fun, maybe even useful to my plans. Oh, Harley, you are officially my favorite person in the entire world now. Perhaps my plans for you have changed after hearing this. Just maybe,_ thought an amused Arthur

" We can't have you up and leave now. Can we? I'd rather throw myself off the top of this place than spend one day without seeing you, Harley" said Arthur as he gently nodded his head " I'll do it. I'll meet with Mr. Bozo for you"

Harleen widens her eyes in disbelief " You... you mean it?" she asked, making sure this is what Arthur wanted and not just saying it 

" Absolutely. It could be fun and don't worry, Harley. I'll keep you hidden feelings for me a secret" replied Arthur

Without even thinking or realizing what she was doing, Harleen jumps out of her seat and throws her arms around Arthur, hugging him tightly in her grasp " Thank you, thank you. You don't know how much this means to me"

Arthur smiled " Gee, Harley. Shouldn't you take me out to dinner first before we do the deed" he joked

As Harleen opened her eyes, she finally realized she had her arms around Arthur's straitjacket in a tight hug " Oh. Sorry" she unwraps her arms and returns to her seat, her face turning bright red

" Don't be sorry, it was nice to finally have someone hug me" confessed Arthur because it was true. Throughout his whole life, no one has ever given him a hug, not even his bitch of a mother. And with Harleen, it was very special for him because he could feel her warmth and love for him

Harleen's face dropped when Arthur told her that no one ever hugged him until now " Are you serious or you fucking with me?"

Arthur said nothing but his silence had pretty much answered his therapist's question 

" Not even from your mother?" Harleen asked again

Arthur shakes his head " Not even when she allowed her ex to beat me black and blue, never tried to shield me or told me how much she loved me. She just thought I was a happy boy that didn't need a hug. Her nickname for me was happy. Ugh" his voice filled with resentment at the memory

" That's awful, Arthur. Shame on her for not protecting you or have anyone care and give you a hug before I did. Everyone deserves a hug now and then, even the naughty boys" Harleen gives Arthur a wink. It has become clear that her feelings for him are now staring to cloud her better judgment


	10. Live Bait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is up everyone? I'm back and I'm better than ever and bringing you two chapters. That's right, two. I think taking last month off despite my attempts to write this chapter was a great idea because I was able to get into the zone when writing instead of doing it half-assed. Feeling great again and here to stay

Heavy rain descended upon Gotham like a bad plague as God himself condemned this city to a life of misery thanks to its notorious reputation of being the most corrupted city in the world and daily increase in crime waves. The sky is tar black with thick grey clouds, people rushing to get to their destinations while holding their umbrella's firmly above their heads to combat the downpouring of rain

Arthur Fleck, now freed from his straitjacket lies on his bed with one hand resting underneath his greasy black hair as a makeshift second pillow while he stares up at the ceiling and having dark thoughts. Not the dark thoughts that would drive him to suicide. No. He no longer wishes to be dead because that would make it too easy for the citizens of Gotham, plus what would be the fun in being dead when he can't continue to spread his twisted ideology of justice and chaos

He needs everyone to be reminded that they are the ones that drove him into becoming a mass murderer, a monster so to speak. From time to time, he tried to be a good person, always being happy and wanting to spread joy and laughter to the world. He was always denied, pushed around and treated like shit. So, he'll do the same to them and laugh in their faces while he goes about his day 

Normally every day when he's mostly confined to his cell in Arkham when he's not either seeing Harleen or having to be taken to the bathroom, Arthur would normally think of these things. But not today. Today he couldn't keep his mind off of Harleen after their recent session involving Harleen asking him to meet with the leader of The Jokerz, J Man, in order to spare her life and keep up the pretense that they are in a relationship

If Arthur were to tell you that he didn't care or wasn't surprised with Harleen's sudden boldness in standing up to J Man with the possible threat of being raped and murdered, he would be lying. He was impressed and still is, he didn't think Harleen had the initiative to think like that. Harleen did and now he couldn't stop thinking about her

_Harley is beautiful, so kind and compassionate. I wish we met before all this shit happened, maybe things could have ended differently for me_, came a voice of the person who he used to be - Arthur Fleck, a pathetic loser who's love-starved and craved acceptance. The person everyone walked all over, used, manipulated and dumped when there was no longer any use of him 

_Shut up, you pathetic old fool. Harley may be full of surprises, but she's a stupid blonde that is ripe for manipulation. She can be our ticket out of this dump. No one understands or likes us, Arthur. How can they? Not that I don't give a shit. It's all a fucking joke to me_, replied the new Arthur or as he liked to be called Joker

_She's not like the others, she's different. She actually gives a shit, you heard what she said earlier today. About how she found a new side to herself when staring danger in the face. What if she is exactly like me? Just waiting to break free? We, uh, you could show her the way_

From the moment Arthur first locked eyes with his lovely therapist, it was clear that he tends to use her as nothing more than a plaything through mind games and manipulation to garner sympathy. With every other therapist he had before Harleen, Arthur would make up false stories about his childhood, why he killed those three Wayne Employees or just acted bat shit crazy to avoid digging into his dark soul

But when it came to Harleen, he told her the truth of how he felt during the subway incident and hints of hatred in regards to his mother for ruining his life. Arthur didn't know why he decided to be honest with her, it was never the plan. Harleen, like anyone else in Gotham and people, in general, didn't matter to him, not anymore, just a mare object to play with until he got bored

Each night when he wasn't being abused by the orderlies, Arthur would try to wrap his brain around why he chose to be upfront and honest, instead of scaring Harleen and fooling her as he did to the others. At first, he thought it was a psychological tactic she's playing that forced him to be honest with her, by pretending to be nice and empathic towards him

Now? Arthur isn't so sure if Harleen is playing games with him or that his old weak version of him is taking control through their sessions. He now ponders the possibility that perhaps Harleen does actually give a shit about him, that she is empathic and wants to help better his life

It's her personality that's making Arthur be honest with her, and now that she told him how she bluffed J Man and his crew into not raping her and organizing a meeting with Arthur himself, his mind and thoughts on Harleen have slowly started to change. Maybe, just maybe she isn't just a plaything to him anymore, maybe he sees a kindred spirit in her

_She understands us, she sees where we are coming from. She's not like the others before her that just wanted to understand why I snapped and did the things you did, and wondering if I showed any remorse for our actions. She feels something for us, I know it_, said Arthur emphatically

_You just want someone to love you because Penny surely didn't. Sophie didn't. Thomas Wayne didn't. No one gives a shit about us. She's using us.......she wants to break........._.

_No! You know as well as I do that Harley is different. We should give her a chance_, suggested Arthur

_I should shut you out completely, that's what I should be doing. That's what I was doing until she came along and...........changed everything. You're weak, Arthur. You were always weak and you will always be weak. That's why you need me to be the vessel running this body, to be the one that gets us through to the next day and not gives a fuck what happens_, replied Joker

Harleen Quinzel or as Arthur liked to call her now, Harley Quinn. The woman that single-handedly has managed to breakthrough Arthur's walls and become conflicted with the personality he has created from within. Sophie Dumond, Arthur's former obsession had never gotten to him the way that Harleen as and that is saying something

Sure, he loved Sophie and wanted to be with her, but he never struck up the courage to actually ask her out on a date. Instead, he ended up stalking her, coming off as a creep to her and imagined them together as a couple. That was then and this is now, Sophie is nothing more than a forgotten memory of the man Arthur used to be

Arthur's thoughts drift to when Harleen threw her arms around him after accepting her favor to meet with J Man, hugging him tightly. He wasn't lying to Harleen, when he said he never had received a hug ever in his life from his mother or anyone for that matter, always just imagined it and the feeling he may get

With Harleen's hug, he could feel not only her warmth but her love for him, even if she's kidding herself into thinking she only cares for Arthur as she does with her other patients or just as friends. However, Arthur knew better, he knew Harleen started to develop strong feelings for him when she hugged him. The feeling itself is almost indescribable, almost as if his soul had melted in front of her

_She may not exactly be like us, but you can't deny that there's something similar to her that's making us drawn to her and vice versa. We could show her the way, maybe she can be not only our ticket out of her but we could have her as a soul mate. Just someone to be with_ said the weak half of Arthur's psyche

_Perhaps or maybe she's faking it because whoever rehabilitates the infamous Joker will be a household name. Perhaps the famous psychologist in the world. Not everything is as they seem. To truly know for sure if Harley does care or feel something, we'll have to play on her emotions for us, We can start with the abuse done to us by Ted. Cause a scene with mayhem in between. Plus with the Jokerz, it could be fun to use them for the game_, pondered Joker

_Only one way to find out_

Arthur snaps out of this thoughts as he hears the door to his cell unlocking, he sits up straight, turns himself around where he sits at the edge of his bed, feet on the ground in front of him and his slender back almost pressing against the brick wall behind him

The door opens and in comes his abuser, Ted, carrying a tray of Arthur's dinner. Arthur smirked at the sight of the orderly knowing full well that he's going beaten again very soon, the only difference is instead of doing just nothing and enjoying the pain, he tends to use this as part of the masterplan to prove Harleen's loyalty and if she does have any feelings for him 

" Well well, look who it is. If it isn't my favorite visitor in the whole wide world bringing me my dinner. Life is good" said a sarcastic Arthur

Ted smirked back knowing how much of a freak Arthur is for enjoying the beatings he dishes towards him, that and thinking Arthur deserves it in general for being a monster " Not till, you get your daily dose of medicine. Freak!"

He closes the door behind him and placed the tray of food down on the table beside him, while Arthur watched his every move

" Tell me this, Ted. Why do you do it? Why do you insist on beating me? Why not just kill me, huh?" asked Arthur as he moved his shoulders up and down " If I'm such the monster you make me out to be, why not end my miserable existence"

" You know why" replied Ted as he grabbed the steel chair from the table and placed it underneath the doorknob of the front door to prevent Arthur from escaping, even though not once Arthur had tried or even scream for help. Still though, to Ted, it was better to be safe than sorry

Arthur smiled mockingly at Ted " I suppose, I do. How bout this? Do you really believe that by beating me black and blue at the waist, and at the legs is a better treatment than what Harley is giving me or something much less painful?"

" I do it because scum like you deserve it" answered Ted with a scowl across his face

" You killed innocent people, started a riot and laughed. You're the only one I do this too because you're a monster. Death is too good for someone like you"

Arthur's smile faded and in its place is a cold stare, the same stare he used on Murray Franklin when he told Murray he's an awful human being for making fun of him " People like you are the reason why there are people like me. Instead of showing compassion, remorse or trying to have a bit of understanding. You judge me, you make fun of me, you laugh at me.......you beat me" he said with pure disdain for the man in front of him 

" Do you think I wanted to end up like this? Becoming the infamous Joker? All I wanted is for someone to give me their time of day, just someone to talk too....." Arthur had to stop himself for explaining his actions because he was growing tired of having to justify himself every time

" The only reason you abuse me is to make yourself feel better and that's ok. Don't hide behind the false pretense in the name of justice or it's what I deserve. You're just like me but less interesting"

Ted nodded and smirked at the clown in front of him " You're right, I love doing this for the simple fact I can get away with it and no one in their right mind will ever believe you. Why someone like Ms. Quinzel gives you the time of day, I'll never know. But we're done talking, it's time for our own personal therapy" he replied while cracking his knuckles

" Hit me in the face for one. I dare you, tough guy" taunted Arthur

Ted walked over to Arthur and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt " Don't tell me what to do" he delivers one punch to Arthur's stomach and shoves him to the ground. At first, Arthur groaned from the punch to the gut but then he smiled and silently chuckled, not giving a damn that Ted is standing over him and trying to assert dominance

" You like that huh! Do ya?" asked Ted with both hands balled into shaking fists, annoyed at Arthur's chuckle

" Uh.......Uh-huh" answered Arthur as he rolled over to his back and looking up at his attacker " Please sir, may I have some more?"

Ted pulls out his belt and begins viciously using it to slap Arthur's chest and stomach while occasionally throwing in a few kicks with his boot. With each second he has before another attack is connected, Arthur chuckled and smiled as if he was being tickled instead of being attacked

_You can't hurt me. Nothing can hurt me_

After a couple of seconds of nonstop slapping, kicking and punching, Ted finally relented his attack so he can catch his breath, he looks down at Arthur with disgust, dumbfounded and even amused that despite everything Ted dished out, Arthur enjoyed the pain he received

" Be......believe me, when I tell you this. I'm going to get out of here one day soon, and when that day comes........I'll be coming after your precious girlfriend and your newborn" vowed Arthur

Ted's eyes widen in shock at Arthur knowing about his family. How did he know this? It was no possible because he never once told Arthur that. For the first time, he is at a loss of words. This, in turn, caused Arthur to laugh at him maniacally

" You should see the look on your stupid face, it's fucking priceless. What? How did I know about them? Nothing gets past me, sonny. I know everything that goes on in these walls, even when I'm confined here. I like to eavesdrop. Do you know what I'm going to do when I meet them? I'm going to bash their heads right the fuck in after I carve smiles into their pretty little faces" said Arthur sadistically as he laughed at Ted's horror again 

At that moment, Ted lost all self-control and with one strike across Arthur's face, it knocks the deranged lunatic out cold and silencing that horrible laughter. He then realizes he just fell for Arthur's trap " Ah, shit"


	11. Gotcha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you skipped to this chapter after the original previous chapter 10 was a message of this story going into hiatus, I suggest you go back to chapter 10 where the story continues cause that message is deleted. I also apologize to everyone that has to click that procced alert to my story twice. I don't know how that happened or how to bring it down only to click proceed once

_Oh man, what a day. 24 hours ago, I was threatened with sexual violence at the hands of The Jokerz lead by J Man. Hahahaha, J Man. That's still funny. Then I bluffed my way into convincing those bozos I was in a relationship with their idol and could set up a meeting between J Man and Arthur. Then today I had to ask the man himself, luckily for me he was a real sweetie and agreed to meet J Man. And then......then_, Harleen paused in mid-thought as she parked her vehicle outside her apartment building

Unlike last night when she went out for Pizza, Harleen went straight home after leaving Arkham State. Even though she is grateful for Arthur agreeing to lie about their relationship and meeting with J Man, there are still other low life thugs roaming the streets and meeting the Jokerz was more than enough excitement for one lifetime

Satisfied with how she parked her vehicle, Harleen turns the ignition off, takes her key out and hops out of her car. She closes the door and opens the back door to grab her black leather handbag and her notebook to write up on Arthur's psyche and finding ways and links to help treat him. Harleen could have easily written all of this all up in Arkham, but she'd rather be at home and be around her own things

Harleen then places her key into the lock of the driver's seat of the door to effectively lock her car altogether, while also silently hoping and praying no asshole will break-in, and try to steal it. She's been lucky so far but luck can only get you so far and it was only a matter of time before that luck runs out. She turns around and quickly made her way inside the building to avoid more damper to her clothes because of the rain. Harleen then walks straight over to her letterbox and humming the tune - That's life

Like Arthur and others around this city, Harleen is extra careful with her own personal mail being sent to her. It may be mild paranoia, considering the only mail she gets is bills, offers to credit cards and other useless junk, but again it was better to be safe than sorry. She places the key into the lock, turns it left and then slides the letterbox open

_Let's see what we have here_

Harleen notices 5 envelopes and they were all related to bills Junk. _But the junk you can't ignore straight away_

She slides the letterbox back in and turns her key the opposite way to lock it again, while still humming That's life under her breath. Harleen takes her key out, turns around, stuffs the envelopes in her bag along with the key she's holding, fishes for her house key, takes it out and proceeds to make her way up the stairs. As she does, her thoughts on Arthur returned. Her number one favorite patient

Harleen still couldn't believe she subconsciously threw her arms around Arthur and wrapped him for a tight hug. Just even thinking about it is enough to have her face turn bright red again

_Gosh. What fuck was I thinking? Harley, you should know better than that. Even if you were just thanking him for saving your hide. You're his therapist for fuck sake. Sure, there's nothing wrong with showing compassion and kindness towards your patients, but any physical contact is strictly forbidden. It oversteps the mark_

_And yet............. _

_It felt so right_

Despite her attempts to reprimand herself or even trying to think of it as an innocent mistake, Harleen actually liked the feel of Arthur's body next to her's and to be able to smell his scent. Arthur is definitely not the monster people make him out to be or evil incarnate, he's just a lost soul reaching out for acceptance and to have someone love him back

They may have had three sessions together, but Harleen knows in her heart and soul that Arthur is what she would call the ultimate victim. A victim that was never given a chance at true happiness no matter how hard he tried, even when the chips were already down and became severely depressed. Arthur tried time and time again to be a happy go lucky boy, just wanting some affection in return

Just then a flash of her boyfriend, Derek, appeared in her mind

_Fuck! What am I saying? Why am I thinking of Arthur as more than just a patient? I have a boyfriend after all. Ugh, why does life have to be so complicated?_ Harleen silently asked herself

It's been a couple of days since she had her fight with Derek and already she's moved him to the back of her mind while focusing all of her energy on Arthur. They've had their fair share of fights before but always manage to work things out with everything going back to normal soon afterward, yet all Harleen can do is think of the man that is hated by so many in the world today

Harleen still loved Derek with all of her heart, if it wasn't for him and giving her the confidence she needed, she may not pursue a career in psychologically to begin. Ever since attending college, Harleen had been fascinated with the mind. What made it tick? Why it controls our thoughts and movement in our bodies. Fear, anxiety, happiness, all of these things

Besides her other hobby in gymnastics, Harleen didn't really see herself with a career in that line of work. It was fun and all, but she saw herself doing greater things and making a difference in the world. But her self esteem, confidence and the fact she's mostly an introvert plagued her every thought, putting herself down and even considered quitting until meeting Derek, and developing a relationship with

Derek may be a bit overprotective but deep down Harleen knows he loves and cares about her. And yet despite all of this, her mind and feelings are focusing more on the man that has inspired terror and chaos to the streets of Gotham

_Maybe I should try giving Derek another call to see if we can work things out. I don't want to lose him after all, he's a saint when he's not annoying me with this shit on Arthur or thinking I can't think for myself. Yeah, I should focus more on fixing my relationship with him and that way whatever feelings or thoughts I have on Arthur will be nothing more than platonic again_, thought a decisive Harleen as she finally reached the third floor of the apartment building 

As Harleen turned to her left and made her way down the corridor, she sees Derek standing outside her door with one hand holding a bouquet of flowers with his back turned to her " Derek?"

The man himself turned around to greet his girlfriend with that charming smile of his, dressed in the same fancy black suit he would wear when working at Wayne Enterprises, short neatly trimmed black hair and brown eyes

" Hey, gorgeous. What's shaking?"

Harleen smiled at Derek as she approached him " Are those for me?" she asked

" No, they are for the woman across the hall from you" joked Derek as he handed the bouquet over to his girlfriend

Harleen places her notebook under her left arm, so she could use her right hand to grab the bouquet from Derek and smell the beautiful flowers up close " They're pretty"

" I know it seems cheesy or sleazy. Whatever way you want to call it, but I hate it when we are fighting and after doing some thinking from our recent fight, I was in the wrong. I should trust and have more faith in your ability to treat your current patient. Even if he's a dangerous man. It's your choice and your choice alone. But you understand where I'm coming from right? I care about you, Harley" replied Derek sincerely 

Harleen smiled at Derek " Thank you, that means a lot to me. I do understand completely" she said while nodding her head slightly

" I hate it when we fight too, but just out of curiosity. Why didn't you return my calls? Things got really busy at Wayne Enterprises?"

" Yeah" Derek nodded his head as his eyes shifted away from Harleen for a brief second and looking at the door beside him on his left " Yeah, things are pretty busy down there. The whole company became unstable ever since Thomas Wayne died, as you know but things are seeming to turn around for the company. Even if it's at a slower pace. Yeah" he looked at Harleen again and smiled

Harleen stared at Derek for a few seconds as something in her gut and her training psychologically told her that something is off about Derek's response and how he brushed his hand over his hair

" Are you sure that's all?" she asked him 

" Yes. Why? You think I'm cheating on you or something?" countered Derek with his own question and pretended to be offended by Harleen's question 

_Maybe I'm just being paranoid and there's nothing too it. That and my um feelings over Arthur could be clouding my judgment and make me believe there's something there when there isn't. After all, we're only just making up now and I don't want another fight_, thought Harleen as she shakes her head

" No, just teasing you is all"

Derek playfully threw up his hands as if a police officer told him to do so before being handcuffed " You got me" _Phew_

" I suppose you want to come in do you?"

" That was the plan, honey bunch"

Harleen decided to push back any negative thoughts and doubts on Derek to the back of her mind " Alright then, come in" she moved in front of him and place her key into the lock and unlocks her door

Once open, Harleen swings the door open and went straight over to her small dining table to place her bag, notebook, and flowers down. After that, she goes into her kitchen to find something to put the flowers in

Derek enters the apartment, shuts the door behind him and curiously wandered over to the dining table and had her notebook dead in his sights. Usually, he didn't care about the notes his girlfriend would make for her patients and diagnosing them. However, since this is the infamous Arthur Fleck she's dealing with, he couldn't help but have a little peek to see what made the creep snap 

" So how was your day?" asked Harleen as she opened the bottom cupboard and finds an old medium-sized jar 

" Busy as usual. A lot of meetings, overseeing our different branches and plans to help save the environment to producing the latest cutting edge technology. Yours?" answered Derek as he pulls Harleen's notebook closer to him

Before Derek had the chance to even open the first page, Harleen popped up with the water jug which made him move away from the table immediately and preventing him from reading her personal notes on Arthur Fleck

" Same but less complicated than yours" lied Harleen as she thought it was best not to inform Derek about her encounter with The Jokerz and pretending to be in a relationship with her patient

Derek smiled at Harleen and nodded " Cool. So" he claps his hands together and rubs them " How bout you sit down, while I make us some dinner as my way of making it up to you"

" No need, I still have leftover pizza from last night to heat up. We'll just eat that" replied Harleen as she filled the jar with water and carefully carried it over to her table so she could place the flowers inside

" I'll take care of that and the drinks," said Derek

****

" Wake up!" 

"Come on, psycho. Wake up"

Ted lightly smacks Arthur Fleck across the face while still standing over him, he couldn't believe how he allowed himself to be fooled into giving Arthur a good punch across the face. That is something he never vowed to do, in order to avoid possible suspicion of abuse if Arthur did try and say anything about it

_Come on, you gotta be awake so I can make sure you won't say shit about it_

Unknown to orderly, Arthur is already awake but pretended as if he wasn't in order to make the burly buffoon sweat while feeling very pleased with himself in forcing Ted to give him a black eye which will enhance his masterplan for Harleen

" Hey!.........wake up!!" demanded Ted and he gives Arthur a rough slap across the face which made Arthur miraculously wake up

Arthur now had his eyes wide open and looking up at his abuser who's still trying to play the intimidation card with him and trying to not show any signs of fear for the punch he received. But the clown knew better, he could see the fear in Ted's dark brown eyes which made him smile 

" Anybody asks you how you got that black eye, you say you did it to yourself to gain attention. Got that!" barked Ted

Arthur smiled and nodded " Crystal" he then when into another burst of laughter, laughing at the stupidity of the orderly as he just sealed his own fate, while furthering his plans for both Harleen and Gotham itself

_Gotcha_

" Fucking freak!" said Ted with disgust as he removed the chair from Arthur's door, opened it and looked from left to right to see if anyone is around that might have overheard them. Fortunately for Ted, there is no one in sight so he leaves Arthur's cell, slams the door shut and walked away while Arthur's laughter echoed throughout the corridor


	12. Disturbing Revelation

After a night of cuddling in front of the TV watching The Shining that eventually lead to the bedroom for passionate makeup sex, the new day strolled though with the heavy rain continuously hitting the streets of Gotham City

Harleen nestled comfortably around Derek's left arm, her head laying on his shoulder while having one hand on Derek's chest. She is relieved to have finally made up with her boyfriend and move on from their fight in regards to Arthur. It was hard for her to stand her ground with Derek and have no contact with him for a couple of days, but she was proud that she did

She may not like being isolated from Derek even if it's only temporarily but she's a grown woman who doesn't need anyone telling her what to do. Outside of her work, Derek is really the only person Harleen has in her life that she feels she can depend on when the going gets tough. She didn't have many friends at all and the ones she did make which are were mostly acquaintances were either living in different countries or on the other side of America living their dreams. They wouldn't dare to come to visit her in a city like Gotham 

Plus now that Harleen and Derek ended up having some really hot intense makeup sex, her feelings and loyalty for the man grew stronger than they had ever been. Any possible thought of being infatuated or even consider the possibility of falling in love with Arthur was no longer present in Harleen's current state of mind, they had been cast aside, never again to plague her thoughts

What Harleen feels for Arthur now is strictly platonic. Just a therapist looking out for their best interest in their patients and taking the appropriate steps to treat their illnesses, and find ways to help better their lives. Harleen now truly believes where her heart lies, even if she lied to Derek about pretending to be in a relationship with Arthur to save her skin from the nefarious Jokerz gang or so she thought

" I don't know about you Harley, but nothing beats the sound of hearing heavy rain hitting while laying in bed. It's almost calming.....soothing even" said Derek as he placed his right arm underneath his head as a makeshift second pillow

" Yeah, it just makes you want to stay in and do fuck all else" replied Harleen as she wiggled as close as she possibly can to close the smallest gap between her and her boyfriend

Derek slightly tilts his head towards his left to look at Harleen " I missed you"

" I missed you too," said Harleen as she tilts her head to look at Derek and smile at him

_He is my rock. My whole world, I don't know what I would do without him_, thought Harleen

Derek smiled back at Harleen and leaned his head in to give her a soft kiss on her lips, which in turn, caused Harleen to kiss him back softly, which lasted for a couple of seconds before Derek broke it 

" You know, I've been thinking. At the risk of fighting again, which I don't want and obviously neither do you. I have a proposal in regards to a certain clown"

" Oh?" asked Harleen with one eyebrow raised curiously

Before Derek replied, he had to swallow a lump in his throat as he pretended to give off the feeling that what's he about to say could potentially ruin their current intimate moment they are having with the heavy rain in the background

" I thought a lot about our fight in regards to him" Derek couldn't bring himself to even mention Arthur's name because his hatred and pride wouldn't allow it. In fact, he would go so far as to call Arthur an IT, but for the sake of keeping his beautiful girlfriend at his side, he tried to be somewhat caring

" Yeah," said Harleen as she looked at her boyfriend with her dark brown eyes innocently

Derek again paused momentarily as if he's treading on eggshells with her " I was wrong to try and force you to dump your patient or even make decisions for you. You're a grown woman who can make up your own mind and do as you please. I don't want to be that control-freak boyfriend, no" shaking his head at the thought

" You know how I feel about him and where I stand. I also know where you stand and how you feel about him. So for the sake of our relationship, how about we never again mention his name when were together. Unless he either tried to kill or seriously hurt you and when that happens...."

" I'll have to remove myself from the equation and asked to be assigned to someone else" interjected Harleen as she lightly nodded her head " Seems fair to me," she said while smiling

_I don't deserve him. He may be a hard ass and a little bit overprotective but I know deep down he cares about me_, thought the beautiful young therapist

Derek sighed with relief " Cool. So.... we're in an agreement then?"

Harleen didn't say anything in response, instead, she leaned in and kissed Derek on his lips as her way of agreeing to his terms about not mentioning Arthur's name. Besides even if that wasn't the case, she still wasn't going to bring up the subject about the Jokerz, now that she had done her bit and had nothing to worry about anymore

" Does that answer your question?" asked Harleen after she pulled herself slightly away from Derek's lips

Derek nodded his head " I think so. You're so beautiful you know that? Funny, intelligent and with a smoking hot body" he complimented in a charming way to furtherly get back in her good graces

" We're both lucky, babe. If I didn't meet you, I wouldn't be a therapist now and probably would have dropped out and be stuck in a dead-end job" replied a grateful Harleen

" Everything happens for a reason and we were just meant to be," said Derek with a smile

_You don't know how right you are about that_, thought Harleen

Harleen sighed contentedly as she rolled over to her left to read her alarm clock on the bedside table with the time reading - 8:00

" I wish we could just stay in bed all day, do nothing and order Chinese or something, but duty calls"

" Yeah, I suppose I better get ready myself. Being executive vice president at Wayne Enterprises comes with heavy responsibilities and without my assistance, it will all fall apart" joked Derek 

Harleen scoffed " You certainly have a high opinion of yourself. Don't you?" she then rolled out of bed and headed into the ensuite bathroom to turn the tap on for a shower

" What can I say?" Derek paused to admire the view of his girlfriend's thick butt " I was a big help in trying to stabilizing the company after what happened with Thomas. Sure, I wasn't the only one that helped turned the tide but still" gloated Derek as he rolled out of bed, gets up and looks for his clothes that are scatted across the floor

Once Harleen turned the tap on and waited for the hot water to start flowing, she walked back into the doorway of the bathroom to see her boyfriend already half-dressed " You know we can have a shower together right?"

" I'd love too but I have to be at Wayne Enterprises in half an hour. Hell, I should be there already" replied Derek as he started to put on his tie

"Someone's being a naughty boy. Mmm mhmm, momma spank" teased Harley while wagging her index finger at him

Derek grinned at Harleen " There's only one person I'd like to teach me a lesson. See you later, yeah?"

" Maybe," said Harleen folding her arms across her chest and playfully pretended to not fully forgive Derek from their fight

" You'll just have to wait and see"

Derek walked over to Harleen and used both of his hands to gently grab her cheeks " Ain't you a peach" he gives her one last kiss " I gotta go". He then turns around and picks up his dark blazer coat from a chair nearby and proceeds to leave the apartment 

  
****

  
It had taken at least a little over 40 minutes for Harleen to actually arrive at Arkham State Hosptial and find a vacant car space, but it didn't concern her though because she wasn't required to start working until quarter past nine anyway. So after parking her car, she entered inside the facility and prepared herself for her next session with Arthur

Now that she understands or so she believes where her heart and mind is at, Harleen no longer had any concerns about Arthur coming between her and Derek, as she viewed Arthur as just a friend in need. No romantic feelings what's so ever for the man 

Harleen didn't think of the possibility of falling in love with Arthur is such a bad thing. She knew the man behind the makeup, the laughter and the carnage left in his wake. Arthur is just a poor innocent soul reaching out for acceptance and love, someone just to understand where he's coming from without being judged and mocked

However, Harleen is Arthur's therapist and having any feelings for your patient that goes beyond the norm is very taboo that will result in her losing her license. That and the fact she's very much happy and in love with Derek. Plus on top of that, just imagine the headlines in the newspaper - Therapist falls in love with a deranged psychopath

Harleen didn't believe Arthur is a psychopath but that's what the media and everyone else has portrayed him to be

She walked along the corridor with her low high heels clicking in the background, passing through colleagues, orderlies and the patients of Arkham as Harleen made her way up to the front desk to sign in as always before starting work and then signing out later in the day

As Harleen turned towards her left, she sees something truly horrific in the distance of the left corridor that made her jaw drop and tugged at her heartstrings. In the distance, Harleen sees Ted escorting Arthur in a straitjacket with his left eye swollen and black coming towards her

_What happened?_, thought Harleen as she placed one hand over her heart

Arthur notices Harleen staring gobsmacked at him and became very pleased with himself on the inside, as on the outside he projected himself as a battered and bruised dog being led by his abuser. When he crossed paths with his favorite therapist, he silently whispered to her " Help me" before passing her in order to be escorted to the medical unit to treat his eyes

_Help me. Help me. My God_, thought a horrified Harleen as she turned around quickly gathered her thoughts

" Arthur," Harleen said in a whisper before clearing her throat " I mean uh Arthur" she then races towards him " What happened to you?"

Before Arthur had a chance to answer her, Ted quickly intervened to prevent Arthur from possibly telling the truth " The idiot got careless in the bathroom while showering as he started singing and dancing that lead him to slip roughly on the tiles. If you ask me, he did it for attention" he said coldly

Harleen immediately frowned at the harshness in Ted's voice, while doing her best to keep at pace with Ted and Arthur as they are making their journey over to the medical bay. Any thoughts on Derek and feelings for him have instantly swept away as her head raced with thoughts on Arthur's black eye. How did he really get it? And why did Arthur whisper help me to her?

" Is that true, Arthur? Is that what really happened" asked Harleen as she looked at the man who now looked terrified at her and feared retaliation from his abuser if he chooses to speak up, and tell the truth

" Ye.....yeah" Arthur turned his head away from Harleen to briefly look at Ted, in order to give Harleen hints that Ted may have been the one that has been physically abusing him. Arthur then turned his attention back to Harleen " That's exactly what happened"

Harleen feels in her gut that Arthur isn't being totally honest with her because she easily picked up all the signs of abuse from her patient and how Arthur looked at Ted as a nod that he is responsible for the black eye. Plus, Harleen also remembered back to their earliest session where Arthur complained of stomach pain before looking into her eyes and acting as if he's about to breakdown, and come clean with her but didn't

" Don't worry about Fleck, I'll bring you to him in about fifteen minutes after Jessica takes a look at him" assured Ted but there was no compassion or kindness to his tone. He then picked up his pace with Arthur down the corridor before turning right and leaving Harleen in the dust

_I smell complete and utter bullshit. There's no way Arthur or anyone can get a black eye from simply from falling after dancing and singing in the bathroom unit of this place. That man, Ted, has something to do with it. I'm sure of it and I will not rest until I get to the bottom of it_, thought a determined Harleen as she turned around and started making her way over to her office


	13. You Have Me

" There we go, Arthur. That should help reduce the swelling" said Jessica as she removed a cold pack from Arthur's eye. Jessica stands at 5 FT 6 with beautiful long dark hair tied neatly into a ponytail. Unlike some of the orderlies and other colleagues, Jessica's thoughts on both Arthur and the other patients at Arkham remain neutral. All she cares about is doing her job to the best of her ability, minding her own business and collecting a paycheck at the end of the day

" Thank you," said Arthur softly as he feels Ted's hateful gaze looking down at him_ Pfft pathetic_. The clown thought Ted's attempt to be the alpha male and hold this invisible power over him was beyond pathetic as he wasn't at least a bit impressed. If they met a few months ago, maybe Arthur may have felt differently

Jessica smiled at Arthur before turning around to place the cold pack away " No problem. Just be careful when your........in the shower"

" I'll try but I have to find some way to entertain myself in a place like this" replied Arthur 

" Thanks, Jessica, you're a doll. Now to take you to Ms. Quinzell" said Ted to Arthur as he roughly grabbed one of Arthur's lower and roughly pulled him off the table and onto his feet without Jessica seeing it

Arthur couldn't help but smile to himself because his plan is working brilliantly. He's managed to forced Ted into giving him a black eye, and even though he could have easily told the Warden the truth when the black eye is first noticed, Arthur knew no one would believe him at first. So that's where Harleen comes into the picture. He'll get her on his side, forcing her to confront her feelings, make a scene to her superiors and really see if Harleen is the one for him

Ted, the Warden and everyone else in both Arkham and Gotham has no idea what's coming their way. This is the first step in Arthur's goal of being set free to once again continue his chaotic spree. He couldn't wait to see the horror in people's faces as they scream and try to run away while he chases them, laughs at them and ultimately kills them for Arthur's own satisfaction

" Perhaps if you start acting like a good boy, maybe you can be allowed out to mingle and watch TV, eh" suggested the nurse as she turned to face Arthur again

Arthur lightly nods his head " I'll most certainly try to be a good boy" he said innocently to Jessica as he portrayed the old beaten down and victimized version of his former self

" For you, at least" Arthur then eye winked at Jessica

" Go on, get out of here. You don't want to keep Harleen waiting do you"

Arthur said nothing in reply as Ted gently escorted him out of the medical bay and down the corridors once more. When they were no longer in the nurse's vision or anyone that's bothered to look at them, Arthur's demeanor changed back to the new version of himself, The Joker

No more did he looked like a lost child in need of acceptance or love from anyone as he's escorted down the corridors and passing people nearby. No. Arthur became confident and cold-hearted even. He immediately displays this by giggling to himself while his abuser keeps a tight grip around one of his arms and even squeezing it

_This idiot has no idea what he's getting himself into. He thinks he's in control but he really isn't_, thought Arthur

The laughter soon caught a certain someone's attention as Ted turned his head to look at the giggling psychopath beside him " What the fuck's so funny?" he said quietly so no one nearby can hear him

Arthur met Ted's cold gaze by turning his head to the man, giggling and even smiling at him " You. That's what's funny"

" Yeah? I'll give you something to laugh about when your appointment with Quinzel is over" hissed the orderly

" You don't get it, do you?" asked Arthur as he looked away from Ted

" Get what?"

" You come into my cell on a few occasions when you've been assigned to bring me my meals or take me to Harley's office. You abuse me physically and emotionally which in your profession is unethical and illegal, and can immediately get you both fired and sent to prison" said Arthur solemnly

The two men take a right turn down the next corridor where unlike the one they just past, this corridor barely had any orderlies or patients insight. All it is, is a few seats, rooms, the white concrete floors, and yellow brick walls

" No one is going to believe your crazy ass anyway. You're a liar, a murderer, and a psychotic freak. I can do whatever the fuck, I like. So even if you are thinking of telling your pretty therapist or the Warden, they ain't going to believe you" snarled Ted

Arthur smiles and shakes his head in amusement " You think this gives you power, doesn't it? Me, a mass murderer who's so fucked in the head, no one will believe a word I say, while taking the abuse dished by you. But what it really shows is your terrified about the truth coming out"

" Woah Woah Woah" Ted cuts Arthur off as he stopped walking and turned to directly face the clown " Who says I'm afraid of you? I ain't afraid of you or scared about going to prison" he said incredulously before letting out a slight chuckle

Arthur's smile faded and stared cold-eyed at him " You are afraid of losing your job and the possibility of me speaking the truth. I can see it in your eyes and the anger in your voice a few seconds ago. Up until last night, I'm sure you didn't give a shit because the hits you inflicted were around my stomach, back and at times, my legs. Bruises that no one can see. But now? Things are different, you gave me a black and that can change things"

It's clear to Arthur that Ted's confident exterior is now only a facade, he can see there is a bit of fear dwelling inside the man as Arthur spoke to him. Even if Ted keeps up the belief that no one will believe Arthur's story of abuse, there is that possibility of someone like Harleen believing in him, now that the clown is sporting a black eye

" You were asking for a black eye anyway and let me tell you something. If there is a slight chance that someone may believe you and there is an investigation, you better keep your mouth shut or I will beat you to death and make it look like a suicide. You do not want to mess with me" said Ted coldly

Arthur stares into Ted's soul through his blue eyes and can see not only the paranoia growing but also is complete ignorance for the fate that will await him. He has no doubt Ted could very well kill him and make it look like a suicide, but it won't come to that. Ted has taken the bait and for that, his fate is sealed

" I will do it. You know. I'll make everyone believe you committed suicide because the thought of staying here for the rest of your life will take a deep toll on your already fucked up psyche and no one will give a shit." replied the remorseless bully

Arthur said nothing in reply

" Good. Now I don't want another word out of you" said Ted as he grabbed Arthur's arm again and dragged him along the corridor to make their way over to Harleen's office

  
****

  
_Could it really be possible that Ted of all people abused Arthur?_, thought a nervous Harleen Quinzell as she sits in her chair across the empty chair in front of her, while she waits for her patient's arrival

_But the way Arthur acted around him and me, and the way Arthur asked me for help and looked at Ted before looking at me, says otherwise. All of his signs directly point to physical abuse and I know for sure that Arthur did not slip and fall while showering. Sure, the tiles may hurt whatever part of your body if you take a nasty fall, but not give you a black eye_

Whatever the case is between Ted and Arthur, Harleen vows to get to the bottom of it or at least gain a good insight before their upcoming session is over. Despite her attempts to remain calm or think about something else, Harleen could not take her thoughts off how terrified Arthur looked as he begged her for help

No one, whoever they are with a mental illness or those who are not mentally ill and abide by the law deserve to be abused or killed in the eyes of Harleen. Did Arthur kill nine people during his rampage? Yes. Did Arthur show no remorse for his actions? Yes, but he did have a very good reason for why he didn't show remorse. From Harleen's belief in Arthur's eyes, Arthur believed he had no other choice and he was sick of being a doormat for society to trample on

Just even hearing Arthur whispers the words _Help Me_ made Harleen's heartache for him. It wasn't right and if Ted has abused him, then he should be held accountable for his actions

Harleen's thoughts are soon interrupted as she hears three knocks on her door and the voice of the man, she now started to despise

" Arthur Fleck here to see you, Ms. Quinzel"

" Come in" replied Harleen

Once again, Arthur's demeanor completely changed and reverted back to the insecure weak-willed and innocent version of the man he used to be, as Ted's opened the door for him. To ensure his portrayal is authentic, Arthur half-smiled at Harleen before changing to an uncomfortable look with Ted standing beside him

Harleen immediately picked up on Arthur's facial expression but chooses not to say anything in front of Ted out of fear not gaining her patient's complete trust. Instead, she warmly smiles back at him " Good Morning, Arthur. Thank you, Ted" she said without taking her eyes off of Arthur

" No problem, I'll be waiting outside if anything happens. See you soon, buddy" replied Ted as he lightly patted Arthur's shoulder before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him

Arthur makes his way over to his chair and in between the only thing keeping him and Harleen apart from a small distance which is a small glass table and then sits down " Morning Harley. How are you today?" he asked her

" Not bad......I'm feeling pretty good," said Harleen as she nodded her head and only told half the truth of what she's really feeling. She was happy prior to her arrival to Arkham today but then she came across Arthur's black eye and picked up the disturbing signs of abuse, but this is Arthur's session and not her session, so she didn't say anything about it

" That's good" replied Arthur with a half-smile before looking away from his compassionate therapist, while trying to find a comfortable position in his chair

" I'm not going to even offend you by asking how your feeling, with the black eye and all. That and how you uttered the words.....help me earlier on. Something's clearly not right, Arthur. I want you to know that you can trust me with anything. I'm here for you" said Harleen genuinely

_I really need to be careful in how to approach this issue if I am to gain his complete trust and not force him into saying anything if he's not ready_, thought the cautious blonde

Arthur wiggled in his chair again until finding a position that is not exactly comfy but doable and then finally looked back at Harleen " No, it's fine. Ask me how I'm feeling, really" he said softly as he now tries to give off the impression that the abuse hasn't affected him or actually happened at all

" Quite honestly, after our session before you mentioning The Jokerz with me opening up about the subway murders and being honest with you. I've been wanting to bring up the subject about me being on MurRay's show"

" Arthur!" Harleen looked at her patient with great concern " We will talk about that if you wish. But......... I really think we should address the issue of the black eye and your plea for help" she said in a lower voice to ensure the possibility of Ted not listening in and doing something worse to Arthur later on

Arthur smiled warmly at Harleen " Harley, I assure you nothing..." he paused for a moment to look over his shoulder and at the door " Nothing happened. All I did while showering is singing and dancing, that made me slip and fall like a moron" he then looked at Harleen again while smiling

Harleen isn't at all convinced and the fact Arthur turned his head to look at the door pretty much confirmed the fact Ted has been abusing him " Arthur"

" Please, Ms. Quinzel" Arthur quivers " I'd really much appreciate it if we moved on now" he pleaded

Arthur can see the look of despair and fear in Harleen's eyes as he tried to shift the conversation away from Ted and his black eye_ Her expression looks very genuine. She does feel something........perfect_, he thought 

" Ok, Arthur. We'll talk about Murray Franklin and what you did on his show" said Harleen reluctantly

_Now to lure her in_, thought Arthur as he now smiled at the blonde therapist in front of him Thank you. Now, as I was saying. The topic of me being invited onto MurRay's show had been on my mind following our conversation about the subway murders. I planned on bringing it up during our last session but then you brought up, you know who. I'm not blaming you, just to be clear"

" That's fine. Go ahead" replied Harleen. Poor guy, she thought 

Arthur nods his head " You know it wasn't my original intention to kill MurRay"

" Really?" asked Harleen with one eyebrow raised curiously

" No" Arthur then shakes his head " My original intention was too......" he paused for a moment as he suddenly becomes overwhelmed with emotions that are preventing him of what he wanted to say like he's at the edge of having a complete breakdown 

" My original intention was too......" Arthur again paused as a single tear ran down his cheek " Oh, God" his voice trembled with anxiety, pretending to give off the impression he's struggling to ignore the constant abuse he's been receiving for months

Harleen now becomes deeply concerned for Arthur as she gets up from her seat, walked over to her table where a box of tissues is, grabs them and walked over to Arthur's chair, again she feels her heart aching for this man " Here since you can't do it yourself. I'll do it for you"

She sits down on the edge of the glass table in front of Arthur, pulls out a single tissue and begins wiping his eyes

" I'm so sorry for crying in front of you Harley. I don't want you to see me or think differently of me now" Arthur looked up at her with more tears escaping his eyes

" Hey, hey hey. It's ok to cry and let it out, Arthur. You are allowed to cry and it doesn't make me think of you any differently. It actually shows that you are human and not a psychopath as everyone has you out to be. Let it out" replied Harleen as she continued wiping Arthur's cheeks and eyes while using a free hand to rub his back 

Unlike the last time Harleen made physical contact with him, it was subconsciously. But this time it's different, she made a conscious thought to gently rub Arthur's back while wiping her tears away and not giving a shit about it

_Oh my God_, thought Harleen

" Thank you, Harley. You don't know how much this means to me. I.....I... FUCK! I can't take this shit anymore. I can't, I thought I can ignore it and pretend everything is fine but I can't. Not anymore" said Arthur in anguish

_He's opening up to me. He's really opening up to me.......he trusts me_, thought Harleen as she tried not to smile in satisfaction in front of Arthur

" Ted abuses you, doesn't he? He's the one that's given you a black eye and more than likely attacks you from below the chest to ensure there's no proof. You don't have to say anything, just nod your head" Harleen implores

Arthur did as he is told by nodding his head " Y.....yeah. It's been going on for months, I don't bring it up because no one will believe me and just ignore it. I have no one in here I can truly depend on and have my back"

" That's not true, Arthur. You have me, you can trust me. Just say the word and I'll bring it up with the Warden. Ted can not be allowed to continue with what he is doing" replied Harleen as she looked into Arthur's eyes and pleaded for him to let her help him 

_Please, Arthur. Just say the word, I can't bear any more of this_, thought a terrified Harleen

_She does care about me. You're mine, now_, thought a smug Arthur

Arthur didn't say anything in reply, just smiled at her


	14. Evidence

  
_He trusts me. He actually trusts me now. This is great, despite the horrible circumstances he suffered but still. Don't worry Arthur, I will not let you down_, thought a determined Harleen as she walked along the corridors at a moderate pace

Now that she knows for certain Arthur has suffered physical abuse at the hands of that disgusting orderly, Ted Wilson, Harleen has all the evidence she needs to bring it up with Duncan and get that bastard fired from Arkham. Hell, maybe with some encouragement from Arthur, charge Ted, put him in Blackgate and throw away the key

However, there is only one problem with this idea. Arthur knew about it from the get-go and so does Harleen now. It is very easy for either of them raise complaints and accusations of unprofessionalism being conducted from a member of staff to a patient, but you need to have more evidence than just the words of a psychotic murder to get any results

Harleen knew if she just went straight to the Warden, he would laugh in her face and question her practice as a legitimate therapist. He would even tell her that Arthur himself is not only lying to her but is laughing at her as well for believing in his lies in the first place, with the belief that is sole purpose is to draw attention to himself

So instead of going down that route and fearing for Arthur's safety at the hands of Ted from further reprisals, if Harleen is obtaining any evidence of abuse taking place, even if it's small minor details, she would need to go into the security control room and check the security camera footage

And heading over to the security control room is exactly where this compassionate woman is going to do. Harleen is not a stupid bimbo that most people may make her out to be, she actually has a brain and knows how to use it. Plus coming from a guy like Duncan who already thinks Harleen is a stupid and naive, it'll be most satisfying to put him in his place when she has actual evidence to back up Arthur's claims 

_Poor guy, I can imagine what it must be like to be in a place like this, all alone with no one to turn too or trust. I mean yeah, it's kind of Arthur's fault, to begin with by playing mind games with his former doctors and lying to them. Still though, now that I've managed to break through some of his barriers, gain his trust and learn more about him, I can see why he would do things like that. Well, not anymore Artie, things are going to change_

As Harleen turned down the corridor on her right, she notices that bastard approaching the distance Ted! I can't believe I thought he was a nice guy. She sees Ted now looking over her way, flashing her a fake smile. Instead of giving him dirty looks or anything to indicate that she's onto him, Harleen politely smiled back at the man as they now crossed each other's path

_Your days are numbered bucko,_ thought a smug Harleen as she picked up her pace and power walked her way down the end of the corridor, then turning to the corridor down on her left and sped right towards the end where the security control room is

Harleen lightly knocks on the door three times

" Who is it?" asked a man with a deep gruff voice on the other side of the door

" Uh, Harleen Qunizel. Can I come in?" 

" Yeah, sure"

Harleen opened the door to the security control room by placing her hand on the doorknob and turning it slightly before pulling it in her direction. Immediately she sees a round table with multiple TV monitors stuck to the wall, showing footages of different areas in Arkham

" Hey, Scott. You have a minute?" asked Harleen as she entered the room and closing the door behind her

Scott spins around in his office chair to greet Harleen. The man is in his mid-fifties with short grey hair, wearing your usual white collar shirt with a black tie, black pants, and boots, a badge on the left side of his chest with a name tag underneath

" Sure thing. What can I do you for?"

" I was hoping if you could do a favor for me by locking onto Arthur Fleck's cell from the hours of um....." Harleen paused for a moment as she tried to think of the times between when Arthur either already has his meal or waiting for it, and when Ted entered his cell

" Let's say between the hours of five o'clock and midnight, last night"

Scott looked at Harleen with one eyebrow raised " Between 5 PM and midnight? What for?" he asked her

" I have reason to believe that Arthur Fleck is being physically abused by one of the orderlies in Arkham" answered Harleen emphatically

" And you believe that clown?" Scott lets out an amusing chuckle, thinking that what this woman is asking of him is a joke. Afterall. Who in their right mind would want to believe a single word that comes out of that psychopath's mouth?

When Scott noticed that Harleen isn't cracking a smile or laughing, he then comes to realize that this is not a joke and what she is asking of him is serious

" Will you do it or not?"

" Yeah, sure. I don't know what you'll expect to find but if you really believe Fleck is being abused then it's our duty to get to the bottom of it"

Scott spins around in his chair again to face the monitors, placing his hand on the mouse to click on the top left-hand corner of the monitor which showed the corridor area where Arthur's cell is and brings it full screen. He then types on the keyboard to pinpoint the date and the hours requested from Harleen

" Wait! You think that black eye has something to do with it?" asked Scott as he pressed enter on the keyboard which now started to show the footage of the area from last night at 5 pm

" I don't think, I know" replied Harleen as she folded her arms across her chest and focuses on the monitor in front of her

So far from the footage, there's nothing significant being showing, just one or two doctors, nurses and orderlies passing through the corridor with no sign of Ted yet, that and also showing no one around as the time of the footage at the bottom left hand went on 

" When do Arthur and the other patients usually have their dinner?" asked Harleen

" Usually around this time, I think. That or between 6 pm and 7 pm" answered the old security guard

" Can you speed it up a little?"

" Yes, I can" replied Scott

Harleen nodded her head in satisfaction " Good, speed it up, but not too quickly"

" You're the boss," said Scott as he did as he is told by speeding the footage of the corridor by Arthur's cell

As the footage speeds up, again it showed no signs of Ted approaching Arthur's cell. Instead, it either showed different periods of the corridor being empty or one or two people passing through it. Harleen kept one eye on the speed of the time which went from 6 pm to 6:30, 7 pm to 7:30

However, this did little to deter her from achieving her goal and keeping her promise to save her patient from Ted's cruel wrath. If Harleen has to stay put and watch the entire footage from it's current time which now went rapidly past 8 pm to midnight, then so be it

_I won't let you down Arthur_, thought Harleen as she kept one eye on the time and the other on what the footage is showing her and Scott

As the time went by and what the footage showed seemed hopeless, the moment of what Harleen had been waiting for had finally arrived, with Scott being the first to spot Ted making his way over to Arthur's cell and carrying a tray of food

" There he is!" announced Scott as he quickly paused the footage and adjust the speed back to normal

" Good, now let's see if I'm right about this fucker," said Harleen as she now has both of her eyes glued to the monitor

Harleen knew full well that while she may not be able to see the abuse take place within Arthur's cell because it would be a violation of privacy, however, if Ted remained in that cell for a period of time, it will give her all the ammunition she needs to bring this asshole to justice

The footage shows Ted unlocking Arthur's cell while also balancing his tray of food and then entering the cell itself before closing the door

_I have you now_, thought Harleen

" I can't believe he brought Arthur's dinner to him around just after nine pm. The fuck was he doing with his time?" the beautiful therapist asked no one in particular

Scott said nothing and just shrugged his shoulders

It had taken at least ten minutes of Ted spending time in Arthur's cell before he finally left but not before scanning up and down the corridor from his left to right before leaving. This, in turn, caused Harleen to smirk

****

" That is a very serious accusation to make, Ms. Quinzel," said Duncan as he sternly looked at her from across his desk

" It's the truth, Mr. Johnson. Mr. Wilson has been abusing Arthur Fleck for a number of months. I had my suspicions of abuse from Mr. Fleck during our first session when complained of having stomach pains, but giving me secretive hints. It wasn't until our session today that I realize that Ted is responsible for it" replied Harleen as a matter of factly

Duncan smirked " How do you know for certain Mr. Fleck isn't pulling your strings? He's been known to be a very good liar, making up all sorts of ridiculous nonsense in order to gain attention because being in a mental hospital is boring for him"_ Stupid girl_, he thought 

_I'm about to wipe that stupid smile off your face_, thought Harleen as she smiled back at her boss

" I knew you were going to say that, perhaps ridicule me if I came to you straight away after my session with Mr. Fleck concluded. So, I decided to do some investigating of my own" Harleen's smile fades 

" I'm not stupid, Mr. Johnson. I don't just believe everything anyone tells me, I take it into consideration and dig up reliable sources, and evidence I can find. From there, I will form my own conclusion. If I were stupid, I would not have chosen this line of work"

Duncan's interest piques as he now realizes that perhaps there is some truth into what this blonde is saying, whether she has hard evidence though is another story entirely. But for now, he decides to play along and see if she has anything to back up her claims

" For your sake, Ms. Qunizel, I hope you do have proof to back up Fleck's claims, otherwise I may have to reconsider having you as his therapist. Personally, I think giving someone like him a time of day or a chance to reform is a waste of time. Fleck will never change or be straight with you. All he lives for his mindless violence, chaos, and attention" replied Duncan as he brings out a cigarette and lights it up

" You're not the first to underestimate me and I'm sure you won't be the last. All my life, I had to prove people wrong and make out, I'm not some dumb bimbo that doesn't know what she's doing" said Harleen solemnly 

Duncan puffed on his cigarette for a few seconds before taking it out of his mouth and blowing smoke into the air " Go on" he dared her 

" I went into the security control room to look up footage from the time when Mr. Wilson entered Mr. Fleck's cell and the time he left. He was there from 9:05 to 9:15 pm and on top of that, he brought Mr. Fleck's dinner when everyone else had their dinner between 5 - 7 pm. Also when Mr. Wilson was leaving the cell, he suspiciously looked around to see if anyone was nearby. If you don't, believe me, both Mr. Fleck and Scott can verify this" stated Harleen

" Is that so?" asked Duncan as he looked Harleen before puffing on his cigarette again 

" The footage is waiting for you in the control room" replied Harleen 

Duncan smiled as he takes the cigarette out from his mouth again " I will be taking a look at the footage and if you are right, Ms. Quinzel. Not only will Mr. Wilson be terminated but I will remove the straitjacket from Mr. Fleck and consider the possibility of him mingling again"

" Really?" beamed Harleen because she knew it would make Arthur happy if he could move and spread his arms around during the day, and not when he's kept locked in his cell

Duncan lightly nods his head " If what your saying is true and the footage backs up these claims. If so, then I was wrong about you and for that, I am truly sorry"

_And so you should be dumbass_, thought Harleen as she fought the urge to not act smug in front of her boss and remain humble instead

" There's also something else, I would like you to do that concerns Fleck"

****

After Harleen left the Warden to go off to the security room, she makes her way back to her office and feeling very pleased with herself. Not only did she inform Duncan about the abuse and showed proof of it, but Arthur will also finally be freed from Ted's wrath and no longer have to wear that the uncomfortable restrictions of the straitjacket

But she couldn't celebrate yet since there was one more important detail to take care of first and that is to inform, J Man, that his visit with Arthur is set up for Thursday next week. When Duncan asked about the sudden visit, since no one really came to visit Arthur or knew anyone who would want to give him a time of today, Harleen made out that Arthur had a long lost relative that wanted to visit him, since they never met before

Again, Harleen thought quickly on her feet and it worked to her advantage

Once she arrived at her office, Harleen entered normally before closing the door behind her. She then walked over to her desk, sits down, opens up the second draw and brings out the small card with a number J Man told her to call him with

_Ok, here goes_, thought Harleen as she takes a big deep breath before grabbing her phone and punching in the numbers, waiting for the other line to pick up

" Yes?" came a familiar voice

" It's done" announced Harleen


	15. Idol

After nearly a week of torrential downpour in Gotham, the rain subsides and the sun begins shining down once again. Sitting inside at the back of a dirty old bus riddled with graffiti is a well dressed handsome man in his early thirties. The man wears a dark purple shirt with a long black trench coat with a red rose pinned on the right side, dark blue jeans, and steal cap black boots. He has black hair with blue eyes and is clean-shaven

It seemed very unusual for a guy like him to be seen riding in a dirty bus tagged in graffiti, especially since the other people on this bus were either wearing normal or second-hand clothes that weren't as colorful or posh as the dark-haired man is wearing. In fact, in some cases, it is very foolish for a guy like this person to be seen in a bus like this because the mentality is you're just asking to get mugged

However, the black-haired man couldn't give to shits to what anyone thought about him or why he choose to board a bus instead of choosing a fancy car. He's very confident in himself to deal with any trouble he may or may not run into, that and also he has friends in very high places in this city. Friends that can help the black-haired man get payback on enemies he truly despised or help keep him out of trouble

And for a guy to have friends in high places and can help him when the going gets tough like that, it pretty much means he is untouchable and can do whatever he damn well pleases

The black-haired man stares straight down towards the front windows of the bus, both of his hands rested around his knee caps. To anyone who looked at him, he is very calm, composed, and confident. But those that really know him on a personal level, he can come across very smug

He is displaying all these traits while he waits to arrive at his destination, however, he is also feeling somewhat anxious. The black-haired man didn't know why he is feeling this way and believed everything will turn out fine but he just couldn't shake off that feeling. Then again. Who can blame him? This wasn't an ordinary day 

_I can't believe this actually happening. I've dreamed of this day for months now and I never thought It would come true. I'm happy, excited and yet.......there is a little bit of fear in me. Why? I don't fucking know. I have nothing to fear for where I'm heading too_, thought the black-haired man as he kept his eyes at the front of the bus

This day is all he could think about during the previous days leading up to it, every thought and feeling dominated his very being. There is not a moment where he hasn't thought about this day, other than going to sleep of course

_Everything is going to be fine. Once I arrive and sign in because that's probably how things are done. I'll meet HIM and we'll have a great time_

It didn't matter to this individual if the rain didn't subside on this once and a lifetime experience. The black-haired man would walk through fire and brimstone to meet this mysterious person today. Nothing is going to stop him. Nothing

The black-haired man turned his head towards his left to glance at the window, seeing people passing each other through the streets, and stores either open or bordered up. There was a time where you even see a party clown dancing at the edge of the sidewalk while balancing one of those commercial signs to help certain businesses

However, thanks to Arthur Fleck's chaotic spree last year, there isn't a party clown in sight. In fact, Mayor Hamilton enforced a rule to ban anything that is clown-related, since he believes that anyone dressing like a clown nowadays is paying tribute to that madman

Even just sitting on this bus, the black-haired man believed he is superior to everyone else sitting in the vehicle and the only reason he chooses to be seen with these peasants is to show how superior he is. He needs to make people believe they are worthless compared to him and that seeing him is a privilege 

In fact, he acted as if he pretty much owned Gotham because of his connections and how he dressed. He believed he could do no wrong in the eyes of those around him, with the exception of this person he is about to meet. He wanted his approval. NO. He needed his approval and guidance going forth with this journey he's undertaking

After a few more minutes of passing through streets and intersections, the bus finally pulls over to the black-haired man's destination_ And so it begins_. The bus driver presses a button that slides the front doors opens

The black-haired man stands to his feet, graciously made his way to the front with a smile on his face " Thank you, driver" he said before making his way down and stepping out of the bus

Once the doors slide shut and the bus takes off down the road again, the black-haired man turned around to see the building in front of him and smiled up at the sign in front of him which read - Arkham State Hospital 

The black-haired man looked both ways before crossing the road and arrogantly struts his way through Arkham's car park before heading inside the building. Once inside, he sees the dark yellow tiled walls with white doors and white concrete floor

_Not long now_

He makes his way over to the round-shaped front desk where a brunette woman in her late forties dressed in white is seated. The woman quickly catches the man coming up to the desk and smiles at him 

" Hi. How can I help you?" asked the woman

" I'm here to visit a patient" answered the black-haired man 

" Certainly. Just tell me your name and who your visiting pleased" asked the woman as she reached over to her right to grab the visitor's book

The black-haired man nods his heads while watching the woman " My name is Kevin Barrett and I'm here to visit my father, Arthur Fleck"

The woman's eyes widen in astonishment at this revelation " I'm sorry. Who are you seeing?" she asked Kevin to make sure she wasn't hearing things and he is actually there to see that monster

" Kevin Barrett. The son of Arthur Fleck aka The Joker whose's visiting him" replied Kevin

" Is there a problem?"

" Well, this is a first. No one has even come to visit that man since becoming a permanent resident here in Arkham. What's even more surprising is he has a son" said the incredulous woman. She didn't know what was more surprising. The fact this man is visiting Arthur or he is the son of that murderous maniac 

Kevin smirked at her " It's a long story, nothing to bore you with"

" I am curious though. Why bother? After everything that monster has done" replied the woman as she opened up the visitor's book and scanned down the list for Kevin's name

Kevin's smile faded as he frowned at her for talking down to Arthur " Don't believe everything you see ma'am. There are two sides to the story and we've only heard the media's version. Which quite honestly is a bunch of bullshit, and if you believe it, then you're an idiot"

_Stupid bitch_, thought Kevin

" So he didn't kill five people and started a riot? Sure. Anyway, there's no need to be grouchy" replied the woman as she turned her attention away from the book and looked up at the man in front of her again

Kevin smiled in condescension at the woman " I'll say whatever I damn well please to those that are quick to brush my father away and not hear his story. Now if you please" he holds out one hand and beckoned for the woman to hand him the visitor's book so he can sign in 

" Maybe we should watch out for you too. You know that saying. Like father like son" said the woman harshly as she handed Kevin both a pen and the book _Asshole_

Kevin said nothing as he grabbed both items, looked down the list to find his name, and scribbled in to show he had arrived and the time as well. Once done, he handed the book and pen back over to the woman

The brunette woman grabbed both the pen and book, placing them both down on the table. She then moves to her left, rummaging through a small box where it contained nametags for those visiting Arkham. She grabs a badge and handed it over to Kevin

" Put this on and don't take it off, until you've finished your visit and make your way back here"

Kevin nodded as he grabbed the badge from the woman and pins it underneath the red rose on his black trench coat " Where do I go?"

Before the brunette answered Kevin's question, she sees one of the male orderlies approaching her and Kevin from a corridor on her right side " Brad"

The orderly known as Brad snapped out of his thoughts and looked over at the front desk where the woman is calling. Brad had short black hair with green eyes, his body is made of slender build and just a down to Earth guy that can get along with anybody he meets

" Hi, Fran. What can I do for you?" asked Brad with a smile as he made his way over to the front desk 

" If it's not too much trouble. Would you be willing to take Mr. Barrett to the visiting unit?" replied Fran with her own question

Brad nodded " Sure. Who are you visiting pal?"

" Arthur Fleck" answered Fran for Kevin

Brad's face dropped when he heard Arthur's name and that Kevin is here to visit him " Holy shit. You serious?"

" No. I'm here to see Santa Clause" replied Kevin sarcastically as he rolled his eyes at the orderly

" You better follow me then," said Brad as he gently nudged his head towards his left and beckoned for Kevin to follow him, to which Kevin did

  
****

  
Kevin patiently waited in the visitor's room for nearly five minutes while the orderlies had to go and collect Arthur from his cell. _This is happening. This is really happening. Holy fuck_ thought Kevin as feelings of excitement and small bits of anxiety ran down his body again 

The visiting room is built enough to hold at least a hundred people with an isle of 5 tables each and 2 to 4 built-in chairs. The walls are pretty much the same as the rest of Arkham with the dark yellow tile walls, a darkish grey concrete floor, and bright white walls

So far it seemed Kevin is the only visitor in the room because no one else has arrived to visit their relatives just yet. But Kevin didn't mind the temporary solitude as it gives him time to gather his thoughts on what he's going to say to the man he has idolized for over a year now. Kevin is a big believer in first impressions and he wanted to make sure he impressed the hell out of the infamous Joker 

" Hi Arthu..eh" Kevin paused and silently cursed himself for referring his idol by his former name and corrects himself " Hello, Joker. It's a pleasure to meet you. You don't know how long I've been waiting for this moment" he said quietly

_Eh, even that sounds corny. Fuck it, I'll just be myself and see where we go from there. After all, Joker is going to be himself. So why shouldn't I? Plus I don't want to make him think I'm an idiot_

The front doors open and in comes Arthur Fleck in a straitjacket being escorted by the friendly orderly, Brad. A week has passed since Arthur received a black eye and spoke up about the months of abuse he endured from Ted, which lead to his abuser being fired from Arkham and choosing not to press any charges. Arthur's black eye had now started to look a lot better than it did previously, as the swelling reduced considerably but still showed some bruises

Kevin immediately snapped out of his thoughts when he caught a glimpse of Arthur approaching the table, which prompted him to stand up in an act of respect for his idol. He can now feel his heart skipping a beat as Arthur comes closer and closer to him 

_So this is J Man. Eh, not a bad dresser and the red rose is a nice touch_, thought Arthur as he offered a warm smile to Kevin 

" Hello, father. It's been a long time" lied Kevin

When Harleen informed Kevin about setting up his meeting with Arthur last week, she made up a story to her boss that he is Arthur's long lost son, in order for the visit to be granted and to ensure nothing suspicious is going on, considering Kevin is really J Man the leader of the so-called Jokerz gang in disguise

" My, how much you've grown" replied Arthur as he walked around to the opposite end of the table and sits down 

" You have fifteen minutes before your time is up" informed Brad as he turned around and walked over to the front door in order to give Arthur and Kevin their privacy 

Arthur watched as Kevin sits back down in his seat facing him " So you're J Man. The man, Harley ran into the other day"

" I am" beamed J man but he soon quickly becomes embarrassed as he sensed a tone of disappointment, perhaps mockery even when Arthur pronounced his name " I'm sorry if it's not as good as your name. I'll try better" he said while looking away like a child who's been scolded

Arthur shakes his head " No. No, I like it" he lied

J Man looked back at Arthur " Really?" he asked with one eyebrow raised

" Yeah. It's not as bad as Harley makes it out to be. It has style" lied Arthur as he smiled at J Man

J Man smiled at Arthur " You don't know how much this means to me. Just to sit here with you and have a chat. You're an inspiration to people like myself, Joker. You're the reason I started The Jokerz" he said in awe

" Oh stop, you're going to make me blush" grinned Arthur

" No, it's true. Everyone else in Gotham may see you as a monster, evil incarnate. But people like myself and my crew don't. You're a hero. You were the only one to stand up against the corrupt system that has plagued this city since it's inception and see it for what it really is. The Elites, pff" scoffed J Man with a simple hand wave

" The Elite is nothing but selfish pigs that don't give to shits about people like us. They use us, make us feel important and then spit us out when we are no longer of any use to them. You stood up to them, Joker. You showed them that you didn't give a shit about them or their rules. You started an uprising and created an everlasting impression on the city"

_And yet I still don't give two shits about you or The Jokerz_, thought Arthur as he said nothing 

" The way you killed Murray Franklin on TV" smiled J man as he shakes his head in disbelief " Man that was something else. You get what you fucking deserve and then boom" he makes a gesture by holding two fingers, pretending if it's a gun, brings it to the side of his head, pretends to shoot himself and chuckles

" He was an awful man because all he wanted is to make fun of me. I thought Murray was a decent guy, a guy you could look up too and count on when the times were tough. But then I saw that pathetic video of me trying to be a stand-up comedian" said Arthur as he rolled his eyes in disgust

J Man nodded his head in agreement " You showed that fucker who's boss. Hell, you showed society who's boss. You were done being made fun off. I was there you know, on the night of the riots and seeing you dancing on top of a car. Although I was wearing a mask at the time. But just seeing you dancing and everyone else chanting your name....."

" It was the greatest moment of my life" interjected Arthur as he smiled at the memory of that night of where he finally accomplished the one thing in his life he craved for, which was acceptance and admiration 

" Seeing the city in chaos, people rioting and looting, the police trying their best to stop it. Heh, it was beautiful. That night changed my life forever. It drove me to start a gang of followers that are dedicated to your cause. Although we haven't made the same impact as you did. But I think desecrating Thomas and Martha Wayne's tombstone is a good starting point" replied J Man as he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest

Arthur looked at J Man and nodded " Not bad indeed. We all have to start somewhere. But I have one problem with your little gang" he said 

" What would that be?" asked J Man

" Rape and anything sexual in nature" answered Arthur as he stared in disappointment at his so-called number one fan " If you and the Jokerz want to honor me and continue my work, that's fine. But I have no interest in rape or sexuality as a whole, I find the whole thing boring and meaningless. Death and chaos is what I live for, to show the world it's true colors and see it as how I see them"

Just by seeing the disappointment in the eyes of his idol, J Man immediately becomes ashamed with himself. He didn't expect Arthur to be looking at him like that and not condoning rape J Man allowed for his group

" On behalf of the Jokerz and myself, we apologize for our actions and being lead astray. I promise from here on out, we will never rape anyone ever again or your girlfriend" vowed J Man while unfolding his arms

Arthur smiled and laughed " Oh please, Harley isn't my girlfriend. She's nothing more than a mare plaything for my amusement. She does have some feelings towards me. Me?" he shrugs his shoulders " I feel nothing for her. However, I don't want you or your crew to come after her again. Harley is mine and my alone to play with"

" So she was really bullshitting about her relationship with you" J Man shakes his head in disbelief and smiles " I knew it" his eyes shift back to Arthur " You have my word, she's off-limits to the Jokerz," he said solemnly

" Good. I'm using her to make her fall in love with me because she's going to be my ticket out of this dump. In the meantime, you and the Jokerz are really going to have stepped up your game if you want to make me proud"

J Man says nothing as he shifts in his seat to where he has both arms rested on the edge of the table over on his side and leaning in, believing Arthur may be giving him advice on how to make the Jokerz stand out and raise their profile a bit 

" You can start by killing the orderly who not only abused me but gave me a black eye, which I know you've been staring at and wanting to ask me about. The fucker needs to pay for what he did" said Arthur coldly

" What is the fucker's name? I have contacts in the police department that can give me a location to where he lives and make him sorry for putting his hands on you" informed J Man

Arthur looked very impressed when J Man mentioned he had contacts within the police department " You do. Do you?"

_Maybe this idiot isn't so useless after all. Perhaps there is potential in The Jokerz that can be used to my advantage_, thought Arthur as the wheels inside his twisted head started to turn

" How else do you think The Jokerz are still active" beamed J Man proudly

" I'm impressed, J Man. My initial thoughts on you and The Jokerz were nothing but wannabes looking for attention and don't really understand my genius. But I was wrong and I'm glad I am" lied Arthur as he grinned at J Man. While he may find some use in him and the Jokerz, he still really didn't care for them nearly as much as J Man believes he does

J Man now looked very pleased with himself at hearing those words of acceptance and approval from Arthur You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words " Thank you, Joker, because it means a lot coming from you. Now whose's the fucker that's been giving you trouble"

" His name is Ted Wilson" answered Arthur while still smiling at J Man " I want him dead but be creative with it and make sure I said to say hello to him" he ordered

" Consider it done," said Ted swiftly like an obedient soldier would when his superior gives out an order for him to do

Arthur nods his head in approval " Good. Now let's talk about what you can do with The Jokerz

" I'm all ears" smiled J Man 


	16. Breaking The Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bond between Harley and Arthur grows stronger during this session with some surprising results

" I have a surprise for you Arthur. Something that I think you'll really like" announced Harleen as she smiled brightly at her patient sitting in front of her. Today is the day where Arthur will no longer be confined to the straitjacket he's wearing

" Oh yeah? Like what?" asked Arthur with one eyebrow raised

" Stand up and walk over to me" instructed the beautiful therapist

_I can't wait to see the look on his face when he learns he'll no longer be confined to the jacket. Sure, when he's locked in his cell he isn't wearing it but still. This is a big step up and if things continue as they are, Arthur may be let out of his cell to mingle with the others in the rec room or watch TV. Who knows?_, thought Harleen while still smiling at Arthur

Arthur looked at Harleen quizzically, wondering why she has asked him to stand up and walk over towards her. He then grinned " Don't you think it's highly inappropriate for a therapist to be blowing me. Just because I've been a good boy lately?" he teased

" Um no. That's not what the big surprise is" replied Harleen as her face turned bright red at that comment

" Are you sure? Come on. I don't mind. It'll be our little secret" teased Arthur as he gives the blonde an eyewink

_She's cute when her face turns red like that_, thought an amused Arthur

Harleen played along by rolling her eyes " Yeah, right. Like I'm that stupid to risk my job by sucking your cock. Maybe in your dreams"

" Maybe in our dreams" corrected Arthur as his grin grew wider " Who are you trying to kid by saying you're not willing to risk your job? Look what happened with The Jokerz and J Man two weeks ago" he said

" That was different and you know that. If I didn't bullshit my way into thinking we were in a relationship and I would be more than willing to set up a meeting between you and that moron, I'd be dead by now" replied Harleen defensively

_He is such a naughty boy speaking to me like that. And yet, that's what I like about Arthur. He's so playful and fun to be around_

Arthur chuckled amusingly " You're a naughty girl, Harley. You know that and I know that. I bet you're a freak in the sheets. You like it rough and want to be dominated badly, the wild side of your personality taking control Aren't you?" he asked

" Um........ I......I" stumbled Harleen because she didn't expect an intimate question like that from Arthur. Sure she did have some sexual fantasies of having rough sex to a degree but she was too afraid to bring it up with Derek and fearing it may put him off

Harleen's silence caused Arthur to go from a small chuckle to laughing as he sees her face going bright red once again. He loved teasing her this way, making her hot and bothered, stumbling over her sentences

Plus it's another way for the clown to test the waters of their relationship so to speak, if he said anything like that to his other therapists or psychologist then he would immediately be scorned at and may be sent back to his cell before his session ended

Harleen clears her throat and decides to change the subject" Do you want to know what my surprise is for you or not?" she asked him

" Sure. I do love surprises, Harley" replied Arthur as he stands to his feet from his chair and then begins walking around the table and over to Harleen

As Arthur walked around and comes within five feet apart of Harleen, Harleen tells him to stop and stand where he is

" This is happening, isn't it? This is really happening" joked Arthur

Harleen gets up from her seat, walks over to the clown, and then stands directly behind him " Careful, Arthur. Say anything else and I won't give you your present"

After helping Arthur in taking down his abuser, Ted Wilson, Harleen had been told by Duncan that he has granted her proposal of releasing Arthur from the straitjacket, impressed by her work ethic into getting some sort of breakthrough or opening into this freak. However, Harleen decided to keep it a secret from Arthur until their next session and now because of how cheeky he's getting, she's tempted to punish him by telling him and keep the straitjacket on longer

" Oh, mama. You're going to punish me, aren't you? Well let's see what you got" taunted Arthur

Harleen says nothing as she begins unstrapping Arthur's straitjacket, loosening the bonds holding his arms locked ontop of each other and over his slender chest. This surprises Arthur because, from all the possibilities minus the sexual jokes, he didn't expect to be freed from the jacket anytime soon

Arthur started to move his arms more freely while Harleen continued unstrapping him from the back, even sliding them away from his chest and each other. While he didn't mind being confined to a straitjacket in the short term, he is pleased it will no longer become a problem for him when the time comes to finally break free from Arkham 

" There we go. Tada!" exclaimed Harleen as she unbuckled the last strap and takes a step back

Arthur slides his arms out of the sleaves, which caused the jacket to slide off his body and fall down at his feet. He looked at his arms momentarily before outstretching and waving them around 

" Surprise! Thanks to you speaking up about the abuse and our sessions together, The Warden finally granted my request to have you freed from that annoying jacket" announced Harleen as she walked around from Arthur and back towards her chair

" Wow, I can't believe it," said Arthur while moving his arms up and down as if the straitjacket never came off of him, even when he's confined to his cell

" And that's not all I have instore" grinned Harleen as she walked past her chair and over to her desk where her purse is. She opens her purse and begins looking through it

_Removing the straitjacket from him is not a big deal, he deserved it after all. But this? What I'm about to give him now? This is definitely a big no-no as far as my role in treating him is concerned. But fuck it. Fuck the rules. This is a special occasion_, thought Harleen 

Arthur walked away from his chair and over to the wall at the back to look at her laminated certificates and credentials just because he can " Another surprise for me? It must be my birthday"

" Well, you've been a good boy and good boys deserve a reward now and then. Even if it's unprofessional. Ah-ha!" exclaimed Harleen as she brings out both a lighter and a box of cigarettes

Harleen turns around to see Arthur looking at her credentials

Arthur notices Harleen staring at him from her desk, so he turns around to face her and when he does he sees both the lighter and the cigarette box in her hands " For me?" he asked

" No, there for me," said Harleen sarcastically " Of course there for you. Don't tell anyone though or I could get into a lot of trouble"

" More trouble then you're already in by setting up that meeting with me and J Man" teased Arthur as started approaching Harleen" I shouldn't be giving gifts to my patients or receiving gifts in return. But, I feel like at least today we can bend the rules a bit. However, in order for this to work, you can only smoke during our sessions. So the box and lighter stays with me" stated the beautiful therapist

Arthur lightly nodded his head " You're a real keeper, Harley. A true friend who's looked out for me since day one, even when you had every reason not to be because of what I've done. Maybe I was wrong about no one being good in this world, maybe there are some or at least one person"

Harleen smiled when Arthur called her a friend " You think I'm your friend?" she asked hopefully as she takes out one cigarette from the box, holds it and the lighter out for Arthur to take

" Absolutely. I've never had the luxury of having friends, even when I went out of my way to make some. People kept either ignoring or making fun of me, just because I'm different and have a condition" said Arthur sincerity. He grabs both the cigarette and lighter from Harleen's hand and starts lighting the cigarette

" I know exactly how you feel, Arthur. It's hard to believe I know, but I had trouble making friends during my school and college years myself" replied Harleen as she takes the lighter from Arthur, placing it and the box down on her desk

Arthur raises one eyebrow in a curious manner " Seriously? A beautiful lady like yourself? No. Surely you were popular or hung out with that crowd" he said before taking a deep puff into the cigarette

Even though it has been over a year since he last had a cigarette especially when he first arrived back in Arkham and gotten over his addiction, it feels really good for Arthur to be taking in that whiff of tobacco once more. To him, it's like being reunited with a long lost love

" Believe me, I was nowhere near popular or hung out with that sort of crowd. Sure, I may have had what you'd call acquaintances. People you'd kinda know but don't really know on a personal level" confessed Harleen as she shrugged her shoulders and turned around to face Arthur again 

" I had really low self-esteem back then. That and being constantly bullied, even when I was being nice to everyone, and minding my own business. Although, the only true friend I've ever made is with my boyfriend. He helped me through some tough times"

Arthur said nothing as he takes the cigarette out from his mouth and blew smoke into the air. It warmed his heart to know that both he and Harleen were both considered outcasts and picked on, despite their good intentions for other people

_Harley. Harley. Harley. I think you are the one for me. Yes, I can see it underneath that nice innocent exterior of yours. You're exactly like me_, thought Arthur

" But I'm super glad to hear you say, you consider me as a friend because I feel the same way about you. Although, I'd like to say I'm friends with all my patients. But you and I? We share a deeper connection. If my partner can help me, then I can most certainly help you" said Harleen sincerely as she returned to her seat and sits down

Arthur does the same, he goes over to his chair and sits down. However, he raises both of his legs and rests them on the table " You are my friend Harley. You're the only one that truly understands me and where I'm coming from. You get me"

He places the cigarette back into his mouth, puffs in deeply and then throws his head back taking the cigarette out, and blowing smoke into the air again

" At the risk of killing the mood. Could you please not put your feet on the table?" asked Harleen softly

Arthur lowers his head and looks at Harleen " Sure. You went all this trouble to please me, so it's only fair I returned the favor" he removes his feet from the table and sits up properly in the chair

" Now, let's get down to business. Before when you spoke up about the abuse, you were going to tell me the story of you being on Murray Franklin's show and killing him wasn't your original intention" said Harleen as she feels now they've celebrated in getting Ted fired, it is now time to get back to work 

" Aren't you curious in how my meeting with J Man went?" asked Arthur

Harleen shakes her head " Not really but I'm sure you stuck with my story and told him to back the fuck off from me for now on"

" That I did and the idiot brought every word of it. He and his clowns won't be giving you trouble no more" replied Arthur as he puffed again 

Harleen crosses her legs, clasped hands together over her left leg " Good and thank you by the way"

Arthur takes the cigarette out from his mouth " So anyway, yeah. It wasn't my original intention to kill MurRay. I had something else planned when he invited me onto his show in order to make fun of me" he shakes his head in disbelief " Cocksucker had the balls to show that video of me failing miserably during that stand up comic routine" he said bitterly

" I know. I thought it was disgusting when he first showed that video. Clearly it was your dream to work in comedy but with your condition and all, it prevented you from succeeding. I have to ask though. Why did you agree to go onto his show, when you knew he was just going to make fun of you?" asked Harleen curiously

Arthur met Harleen's curious stare with a stern gaze, he was no longer the happy go lucky or chill person he was 15 seconds ago " Why? Because I was planning to dress up really nicely in clown makeup. Tell the world I was responsible for the subway murders and the Clown Movement, then commit suicide. I wanted that miserable fuck and the world to know how much pain they caused me for my whole life. Time after time after time, I've been the brunt of everyone's jokes, so I thought I'd return the favor" he confessed

_My God. Thank goodness It didn't come to that. Suicide at least_ thought Harleen 

" What MurRay did to me was the final straw. I looked up to him, I respected him and I loved him. I LOVED HIM! And he has the goal to do that to me? He was like a father I never had, the type of guy I wanted as a father since I had no father figure. It broke my heart when I saw that video of me, while I'm visiting my mother in the hospital. So, I accept his invitation, dress up and go to his show. I had it all planned out by reading a knock-knock joke in my journal. And then..." paused Arthur as he brings himself back to that moment when he is looking through his journal 

Arthur then thinks about coming across ten famous words in his journal that changed his life and his destiny forever - I Hope My Death Makes More Cents Than My Life

Originally when looking at that sentence or reading it over and over, Arthur always toyed with the idea of committing suicide as he believes his life has no meaning. He's never had a chance to experience true joy and happiness, and that by taking his own life it would give him meaning to the world who tortured him daily

However, when Arthur read those words again in full Joker's attire, he had a change of heart as he came to realize that killing himself doesn't solve the problem. It won't make him feel any better and why should he take his life when the world has been so horrible to him. Why should society get off scot-free after suffering so much? So, Arthur decided that killing himself is not the answer and he was going to stay alive and make society the brunt of his jokes

" I read these words - I hope my life makes more cents than my life and had an epiphany. A moment of realization where my death would be meaningless and by staying alive, I can make fun of society and caused them so much pain and suffering, while I laugh and spit in their faces. Why shouldn't they get punished? Huh. It doesn't seem fair and that's because life isn't fair. So, I said fuck it. You want me as a freak, a monster, an outcast. So be it, just know that you created me and you'll have to live with it" he said sincerely

Arthur puffs on his cigarette one more time before snuffing it out on his right knee. He lightly threw the cigarette onto the glass table in front of him and takes in one big deep breath

_God that felt good to say. Just letting it all out like that. How I truly felt during that night I was reborn_

Harleen is at a loss for words when listening to Arthur's confession, his thoughts and feelings during the night of the riot, and killing Murray Franklin. She became conflicted with her own thoughts as her emotions made her feel very sympathetic towards Arthur knowing how difficult his life had been and that by going down a dark path, it made him truly happy. While her conscious scolded the clown and thought it was no excuse to kill anyone 

_Maybe I'm wrong about society. After all, they did create The Joker within Arthur_, thought a sympathetic Harleen 

" How did it make you feel when you danced on top of a car in front of a large group of people wearing clown masks?" asked Harleen curiously 

Arthur looked at Harleen and smiled " At the time, it made me feel very happy and knowing that despite these terrible things as you and most people would call it, there were people that actually applauded and cheered me on. I was accepted. Now?" he shrugs his shoulders " Now, I don't give a shit. I don't give a shit about them or a group calling themselves The Jokerz" 

" You know what I think after hearing your story? Fuck them. Fuck the whole lot of them, they don't deserve your love or appreciation for them. In the past you were denied happiness until that night, always denying your kindness and compassion" said Harleen as she allows her feelings for Arthur cloud her better judgment

_We may come from different backgrounds, but we have similar experiences_, thought Harleen

" I understand you now more than I did when we first began. Funny and tragic how life can be. You want to go in one direction but it has other intentions for you" 

Arthur smiled at Harleen as he started chuckling to himself. The wheels in his twisted head-turning once more, as he thought of an idea to further push the boundaries of their relationship, that and to see if Harleen is really who he believes she is

" What's so funny?" asked Harleen while smiling back at Arthur

Arthur said nothing as he stands to his feet, slowly walking around the glass table and over to Harleen. He intentionally squeezed his right hand into a strangle grip for Harleen to see, just to see how she will react and what she's thinking 

" What are you doing?" asked Harleen after noticing the movement in Arthur's hand while he slowly walked over to her without saying a word. She feels her heart skipping a beat with every second of silence passing between them

Arthur slides in the small gap between the table and Harleen. At that moment, he surprises her by lunging himself at her, by roughly grabbing her by the neck, squeezing lightly and getting in her face

" You made a big mistake in trusting me, Harley. You should have kept me confined to that jacket because now you're going to be my ticket out of this dump and if you don't do as I say, I will kill you. Believe me when I say I have a strong urge to kill someone" smiled Arthur

However, to his surprise, Harleen never yelped, screamed for help, or try to force Arthur off of her. If anything, she's a little bit turned on by the whole ordeal, which caused her to smile at him

" I mean it, it's not a joke" warned Arthur

_Kill her. Yes, kill this stupid bitch and be done with it_ thought Joker as he quickly had taken control once more

_No, don't kill her. Can't you see......Harley is like us. She's the one!_ thought the weaker side to Arthur's personality 

" I know" replied Harleen as she looked into Arthur's green emerald eyes_ Fuck he looks so sexy. Shit! What am I saying? I have a fucking boyfriend. WHY AM I NOT CALLING FOR HELP?_

Arthur stared back into Harleen's dark brown eyes, almost lovingly. Here's a woman who's not the least bit fearful for her life or someone whose's been betrayed. She didn't even flinch when he started grabbing her throat and threatening her life, unlike many other therapists before her who were terrified

Without even realizing it, Arthur slips his hand away from Harleen's throat. He leans in and kisses her softly on the lips. This, in turn, causes Harleen to kiss Arthur back passionately by touching his cheek


	17. Crossroads

The kiss shared between Arthur and Harleen as unexpected it is, it is also welcoming for both parties involved. Arthur in particular never planned on kissing Harleen at all, he wanted to test her by scaring her with threats of violence if she didn't do as he said in part of his plan to escape Arkham. But his feelings towards her had been stirring in him for quite some time which allowed his weaker half to break free and influence his thought process

Arthur deemed himself unworthy to kiss any woman as beautiful as Harleen let alone be in the same room as her. He believed he is unworthy of receiving any kind of love or compassion, even when he transformed himself into The Joker, and being Joker made it easy for Arthur to brush aside all emotions of fear, love, and compassion to dark recesses of his mind

For Harleen, she welcomed Arthur's kiss with open arms. Before he put his hands around her throat, she somehow knew Arthur was only bluffing when he said he would kill her if he didn't do as she is told, which allowed her to sit in her chair calm as a cucumber when Arthur grabbed her. It's like the other side to Harleen's personality Arthur mentioned 5 minutes ago, had taken ahold of her body and made her kiss him back

Harleen now had both hands cupping Arthur's cheeks, her heart pounding in her chest and letting out small moans of approval. She focuses on how soft his lips are against her mouth, how addictively he invaded all her senses

The therapist Doctor Harleen Quinzel whose duty is to help treat Arthur's condition, get into his psyche, and understand why he did the things he did fades into the shadows. Harley Quinzel, the woman with strong feelings towards this man came into full view

_I don't give a fuck if this goes against the rules and is unprofessional. This is right here....what we are doing is right_ thought Harleen while kissing Arthur

Arthur kisses Harleen back passionately, his own heart now beating faster and faster as Harleen's face pressed against his. Any doubts or concerns he had for this woman to whether or not she is the right woman for him were gone. He knew when his lips touched her's and she kissed him back, Harleen is the one for him. She gets him. She understands him like no other

_Maybe I don't have to be alone now. Maybe just maybe I can spend my life with Harley and help her bring out that wild side I know she hides underneath that mask of her's_, thought Arthur as his tongue entwined with his beautiful therapist

_This confirms she does have feelings for me. I don't need to be alone to spread our joy and laughter to the world anymore_

Harleen pushes herself off of her chair while still keeping her hands around his cheeks forcing Arthur to take a few steps back. They kissed each other hungrily as thoughts of temptation and lust to do the dirty overtake their senses. Harleen moaned a bit more, she wanted him to take her by the small leather couch over on their left, pull her hair, spank and dominate her 

She wanted to be punished for being a naughty girl. It would seem that Arthur's assumption of her liking rough sex is now coming to fruition. Harleen thinks back to when she first encountered The Jokerz and how she lied about being in a relationship with Arthur in order to save herself. The confidence oozing out of her mouth, and even the thrill of staring danger in the face

If Harleen didn't meet Arthur or become his therapist, she highly doubts she would have been able to think on her feet, acting tough and showing J Man, and those wannabe clowns whose's boss. She would have been a scared little mouse and a victim of either murder or gangrape in an alternate reality 

So for her to be around Arthur now, influencing her personality, her thoughts, her feelings, and bringing out this other side to her she didn't she had becomes intoxicating. It's like a drug in which Harleen simply cannot get enough off

Arthur decides to become bold with his Joker personality taking ahold again. He roughly grabbed Harleen's left thigh, lifts it up, and wrapped it around his right leg. His action not only surprised Harleen but also made her smirk

" Oh Mister J, I didn't know you were a hands-on kinda guy" teased Harleen in a sexy voice

" Trust me, Harley. There's plenty of me that you don't know about it" replied a smug Arthur as he slides one hand down Harleen's back to her round ass. He gropes her ass, squeezes it roughly and gives it a firm smack

Harleen moaned at the slap " Mmmm again"

Arthur smacked Harleen's ass again, this time slightly harder than before, and again she moaned at the contact " You're a naughty little slut, aren't you? "

" Yes, I'm a naughty little slut. Punish me" begged Harleen

This time Arthur used both of his hands to grab Harleen's ass, squeezing her cheeks roughly and giving them a firm slap. Again, Harleen moaned in ecstasy. Just hearing her moans, egging for him to punish her more and having her in his arms, is enough for Arthur to go into overdrive and cause a bulge in his pants

_Take me. Take me now_, thought Harleen as she enjoyed Arthur's hands around her ass and forgetting the fact they were supposed to be talking more about why Arthur killed Murray, and that they only like an hour together. Maybe less but who is keeping track?

Arthur leans his head down to the side of Harleen's neck and begins kissing it hungrily, his hands continuing to fondle and play with her butt. He even started to press his bulge in between her legs and poking her pussy which is now already wet

Harleen gasped at Arthur's erection "Oh my it looks like Joker Junior wants to say hello" she giggled through small moans of pleasure. However, she had to keep her moans to a minimum or otherwise the orderly that's down the corridor will overhear her, walk-in and face losing her job

" He wants to do more than just say hello" teased Arthur. When he stopped kissing Harleen's neck, he removes his hands from her ass, grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the leather couch

" We'll have to make it quick or otherwise it's I'm going to be out of a job by the end of today," said a worried Harleen after breaking free from Arthur's hand and walked right in front of him

As worried as she is about being caught having sex with Arthur, the thought of it really turned her on at the same time. Once again she wanted to feel that exhilarating rush of Adrenaline of being in danger as she did when she met The Jokerz

Arthur smirked at Harleen " Then you better stop talking then" he instructed. He then lightly pushes Harleen down onto the sofa, climbs on top of her and kisses her on her lips again, his hands slide over to unbutton her red shirt 

Harleen kisses Arthur back passionately, her hands sliding down his slender back and coming to the bottom of his white shirt _ Fuck! I never wanted him so badly as I do now. No, I don't just want him. I need him!_ she thought to herself as she started pulling his shirt up  
  
_For my whole life, I never thought or expected anyone to love and accept me as this woman in front of me does. Harley is the woman of my dreams, the woman I've been searching for. I thought when I meet Sophie all those months ago, we may have had something but I was wrong. She wasn't the one for me but Harley is_, thought Arthur. He breaks their kiss briefly to sit up, remove his shirt and tosses it on top of his straitjacket

" How much do you want me, Harley?" asked Arthur as he reaches into Harleen's now opened shirt and taking out both of her perky tits, giving them a firm squeeze

" I want you so fucking bad, Mister J. Please.....please fill me with your cock" pleaded the lustful woman before moaning softly again. Her hands now firmly wrapped around his slender back 

Arthur leans down to Harleen's tits and flicks his tongue on both of her harden nipples

" Oh fuck," said Harleen as she closed her eyes and waited to feel Arthur's cock inside her

Arthur leaned his head back and smirked at her " Since you asked nicely and being the naughty slut you are" he climbs off of Harleen so he could start pulling down his pants

_I am a naughty girl. I am. I know what I'm doing is wrong but I can't help it. He has this charm, this aura about him that's both exciting and comforting_, thought Harleen  
  
As Arthur pulled his pants halfway down, a vision of someone close to Harleen flashed in front of her which brings her back down to Earth and snap out of her thoughts of lust and temptation. Instead of seeing Arthur in front of her, she sees her boyfriend Derek

This vision of Derek tugged at her heartstrings, as she immediately becomes overwhelmed with guilt _Oh my God. What have I done?_ She is literally is about to cheat on the man she loved 

Harleen doesn't just think about Derek and cheating on him, she now realizes she has crossed that forbidden line between patient and therapist, and the consequences of what it will bring

" We have to stop!"

" No we don't," said Arthur kicked his pants on top of his shirt and now grabbed his underwear with his hard cock poking in the middle

" Yes, we do Arthur" replied Harleen as she sits upright and turned her body to Arthur's direction

Arthur sees Harleen placing her tits back into her shirt and doing up the buttons again " Why? We have time, don't we? As I seem to recall our conversation was only ten minutes into this session and you wanted this as much as I do"

" What we did.....what we were going to do is a mistake. I can't believe I nearly went all the way" said Harleen frantically. When she finished buttoning her shirt, she stands to her feet and straightens her clothes

" Oh thanks," said Arthur in a terse voice and feeling slightly hurt by Harleen's words

" No-no-no. I didn't mean the thought of having sex with you is bad or beneath me. Quite the contrary but I am in a relationship and should not lead you on like this. Not saying what happened is entirely your fault, it isn't" replied Harleen as she now paced back and forth slowly

Arthur watched Harleen pacing back and forth, not bothering to put his clothes on just yet " I knew deep down you have feelings for me and you proved it just now. Even when you try to deny it, I knew better. No!" he paused and then corrected himself " We knew better. I feel the same way about you, Harley. I've never felt this way about a woman in all my life, I didn't think I could ever feel this way about anyone"

_See. SEE! What the fuck did I tell you, Arthur? She was leading us on and playing with our emotions. We don't need to count on anyone but ourselves. No one will ever love or want to be with someone like us_, thought Joker while mocking his weaker half

_SHUT UP! It's not true. She isn't playing anyone, she's just confused_, thought Arthur

" I do feel something for you, Arthur. You've made me feel things that I've never felt before in my life. You bring out this other side to me that I didn't know that existed and just being around you is so addictive' confessed Harleen as stopped pacing and turned to meet Arthur's hurt and determined gaze

_I'm such a piece of shit doing this to him and doing this to Derek_, thought a guilt-ridden Harleen

" Then stop fighting it, Harley. You know as well as I do that the chemistry between us is undeniable. That side to yourself you just mentioned, that's the real you waiting to break free from the burden of society, and the law and order of civilization" said Arthur as he walked over to Harleen and placed his hands on her shoulders, his erection no longer visible

With Harleen's head turned away, Arthur uses his two fingers to place them underneath the confused woman's chin and gently bringing her face to meet his

Harleen looked into Arthur's eyes, her heart is telling her to give in and throw everything she has away to be with this man. Throw away her dream job and Derek to be with a man that's tainted the very aspect of what a clown used to be. However, her conscience gets the better of her and telling her it's wrong

" I can't! Derek, my boyfriend. He's been so good to me, he helped me to get to where I am right now. If I throw him away, I can kiss my job goodbye and we could never see each other again" said Harleen sadly

_You have no idea how much I want this but........_

" Harley. Look me in the eyes and tell me, you don't want this" replied Arthur holding their gaze by looking into her brown eyes. They weren't just looking into the other's eyes, they were looking into the other's souls

" Tell me now and I will never see you again, Harley. I will do whatever it takes to make you don't see me if you tell me you don't feel the same way or see us being together. I don't want that and I know you don't. I love you, Harley. I love you so much and I don't think I could cope if you feel differently" said Arthur almost sadly because he really has fallen head over heels for this woman

Harleen said nothing in return and just stared at Arthur. She couldn't say anything because she wanted Arthur as much as she does_ Why does life have to be so fucked up?_ It would be so easy to drop everything to be with Arthur, but she also loved Derek and didn't want to hurt him

Arthur couldn't help but smile at Harleen's silence, it pretty much confirmed she does feel the same way about him. The only difference is he has no morals or ethics of hurting anyone since all his life people have hurt, abused, and betrayed his trust. To him, it gives him a free pass to do anything he pleases

However, when it comes to Harleen. The woman for the first time who has listened to his troubled past with kindness, compassion, and empathy, he didn't want to hurt her or make her do anything against her will

" I.......I need time to think things through. My head is swimming with different thoughts and feelings because I've never been in a situation like this before" replied Harleen as she breaks away from Arthur's grip and turned her back to him 

" I'm not saying there is a strong chance that this will go anywhere but I'm not saying no to it either. I don't know. I.....I" stuttered Harleen as she now found it difficult to express her emotions in a single sentence

" I'll wait for you" vowed Arthur softly as he turned around and started putting on his pants and shirt again

_Kill her you poor excuse of a human being. This will never go anywhere_, thought Joker taunting his weaker side like a hunter when stalking its prey 

" You finished?" asked Harleen

Arthur lightly nodded his head " Yes"

" Good," said Harleen. She turned around, walked straight past Arthur, and over to her door. It's clear to her that she had to end their session early than expected in order to gather her thoughts, otherwise she wouldn't be able to concentrate during their conversation 

_Who the fuck am I kidding? Things between us will never be the same again_, thought Harleen as she turned the doorknob and opened her door, looking out into the corridor seeing Brad only ten feet apart, minding his own business

Brad notices Harleen staring at him, which prompts the kind orderly to approach her " Everything alright Ms. Quinzel? Mr. Fleck not giving you any trouble is he?" he asked her

" No" Harleen shakes her head " I need you to take him back to his cell, I know it's only been twenty minutes or so, but I think I'm coming down with something" she lies

" Oh no, that's no good. You know that saying though, do what you gotta do" said Brad as he takes a step into the doorway and looked over to see Arthur facing him " Mr. Fleck" he motioned Arthur to come forward with a wave of a hand

Arthur nodded as he picked up his straitjacket and walked over to Brad, his head turned to make eye contact with Harleen once more, her gaze meeting his and they share a secret look to which Brad is oblivious too

" Get well soon, Ms. Quinzel. Come on Arthur" Brad lightly grabs Arthur's right arm and escorts him down the corridor

Harleen watched the pair disappearing from her sight down the corridor, her eyes locked onto Arthur's black greasy hair as he no longer was looking at her. Feelings of guilt, frustration, and guilt run through her veins

_What have I done and more importantly what am I going to do?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if the sex and kissing part sucked and not as good as other stories you may have read with sexual content lol. I haven't done a lot of that in my stories but I do like to give it a shot every now and then. Anyway please don't hate me too bad with how this ended and trust me, it won't be long now until Harleen becomes Harley Quinn


	18. Split

In the late hours of the evening and still awake Arthur Fleck sits upright on his bed before turning his entire body to his left side, feet now touching the floor. He didn't even bother trying to get some rest while a million thoughts and feelings racing through his brain 

Arthur stands up and walked over to the small sink with a mirror pinned above across from his bed. He knew even when he was eating dinner 4 hours ago, it was pointless to even consider the possibility of shutting his brain off for the night. After the day he has had with Harleen and the sexual chemistry between them. Who could blame him right?

He turns the tap on, letting the cool water running for a couple of seconds. He then forms both of his hands into an open palm and places them underneath until a small puddle of water is formed. Arthur quickly throws it on his face, removes his hands under the tap and brush back his black hair which it made it wet behind his shoulders

Arthur sighed gently before turning the tap off and staring at his reflection in the mirror. Unlike other people in the world where they look into the mirror and see an exact copy of their reflection, Arthur sees the stronger side of his personality, the one that has kept him alive and made him infamous throughout Gotham

He sees his face covered in clown makeup, red bloodied lips, his green hair brushed neatly back behind his shoulder blades. He sees the one he and everyone else now calls him, Joker, smiling back at Arthur

_I don't know about you but I thought today was very insightful. Especially with our certain favorite doctor in the whole wide world_, thought Joker while smiling at his weaker half

_Yes, today was certainly something. I knew Harley had feelings for us and she proved it earlier today. She wanted us......no. She wanted me and I wanted her,_ replied Arthur while staring emotionless at Joker

_She wanted me too. She wanted the whole package, I could see it in her eyes. The hunger, the lust, and the desire to give in to her own inner darkness. Cross that barrier and be our woman. Then her own conscious got in the way.....brought her back to reality. Heh,_ Joker _shakes his head I hate to say it but I think she's a dead end to our endgame. She'll never ever fully choose us over the stupid conception of good and evil. Law and Order_

_You don't know that. When Harley became riddled with guilt for her part and how it'll affect her relationship with her boyfriend, she didn't fully reject the idea of a relationship_, replied Arthur

As much as it pained Arthur to hear Harleen having a boyfriend and choosing to not go all the way with him, despite technically already cheating on her partner, it did give him hope for a possible future with Harleen. The way she looked into his eyes, the tone in her voice mixed with guilt, confusion, and frustration. It was clear to anybody that Harleen really wanted to have some sort of a relationship with Arthur that goes beyond the boundaries of just being a doctor and patient thing

Joker laughed in amusement at Arthur's deluded fantasies_ Oh please. We don't need her. Remember what I said to you on the day you found out our own deranged slut of a mother allowed one of her boyfriends to abuse you, while she sat back and did fuck all? Huh, Do you?_

Arthur said nothing in return, just staring at his stronger half

_Love is for the weak. We don't need it, we never did. The only thing we need.....what you need is me. The one that has been the voice inside of you, telling you to do naughty things or make you carry out desires of murder on those that did you wrong long before that night on the subway. The one that has made you into a household name, even if the public is now carrying on with their lives. I'm the real you and all you need to do is let me be in charge of this vessel,_ stated Joker

_I did let you in and be in control. It was great, I was able to do things I only ever dreamed of, to have that one moment where people actually accepted and embraced me. Until....._ paused Arthur as he turned his head away from his reflection and turning the tap off

_Until you allowed Harley to easily breakdown the walls I set up for you and into your heart, which gave you this idea to push me aside during these sessions. Open yourself up and allow you to feel again. This incessant need to be loved. Even when the world said fuck you and your feelings_, Joker shook his head in disgrace at his weaker half

Arthur turned his back to Joker and walked over to the only window in his cell to glance out the part of the city it allowed him to see. He now wanted to forget talking about Harleen, whether or not they have a future together and just stare off into space, even when there are three iron bars are pinned a small pace from each other on the window

The street he is allowed to see through the bars are completely deserted, not even the homeless were wandering around looking for something to do. Just one or two cars parked and some of the city and street lights 

Arthur focuses on the buildings only for a few seconds before closing them, his mind and thoughts now changed from the woman he loved to his desire of leaving Arkham and picking up where left off in Gotham 

He envisions Gotham descending into complete chaos with flames burning in the background. People looting the stores and taking what they wanted. People vandalizing public property, setting fires to cars, and trash bins. People hurting and killing each other. Arthur even sees himself killing anyone he wants while laughing with joy

Arthur not only wants to recreate the night was Murray, Thomas, and Martha Wayne were murdered and started the riots which have been infamously dubbed as - The Night of The Clowns, he wants to make it bigger and better

_We can have all of this, you know. The city burning as chaos and death run rampant through the streets. This can be a reality if you denounce your emotions and desires. We don't need Harley or anyone else, we never did_ tempted Joker

Arthur said nothing while his thoughts concentrated on his desire to see Gotham burning in ashes and to hear the screams of his victims while laughing at them

_Let me in, step back and I'll get us out of here without Harley's help,_ promised Joker while continuing to tempt his weaker half like the Devil on his shoulder. Even if he promised to not hurt Harleen in the process there's no guarantee he will keep his word

_Harley will never choose us...NEVER! She's making you weak and pathetic. The sniveling helpless baby crying for mummy_

Arthur shakes his head, refusing to relinquish control over his body _I am not giving up on Harley. Not after what happened today. She wants it. We just need to give her more time. I know deep down she has another you inside of her or something similar waiting to break free. I believe she has the same desire for anarchy as I do_

He finally opens his eyes and he sees the part of Gotham through his window as it is, another seemingly normal night where the more well off people are enjoying going to fancy parties, restaurants, and whatnot

_Even if she did choose us over everything else. How long do you think it will be until she has a change of heart and ends up betraying you down the line? Huh? Wake up, Arthur. You can never truly depend on anyone but me. Trust me, there will come a time where Harley will end up walking away from you. She may be doing that right now, planning to hand in her resignation tomorrow morning and find somewhere else to work_, replied Joker coldly 

_Harley isn't like the others. I know in my heart she wouldn't betray us. She loves us and the only thing holding her back is fear. Which is understandable. I mean, we may come from similar backgrounds but Harley had a family that loved her. She didn't have a life of constant betrayal and abuse from everyone around them. That is why I will not give up on her_, stated Arthur while still staring out at Gotham from his window

A full manifestation of Joker appears behind Arthur, dressed in the same clothes he wore on the night of the clowns - a clown-like luxury red, orange, yellow, and brown bright suit and shoes. He grabbed his weaker half by the shoulders, spins him around and pins him against the window, growing tired of the constant complaining and empathy showed in Arthur 

_Have you forgotten it was I that plucked you out from a life of depression and suicidal thoughts? It was I, that guided you to pull the trigger on the subway and kill those three assholes. It was I, that guided you to kill Penny Fleck. It was I, that guided you to murder that bald bastard Randall for getting you fired. It was I, that finally helped you to embrace me as the real Arthur Fleck and to pull the trigger on Murray Franklin. Me. Me. Me. ME! You don't need Harley or anyone else_, snarled Joker while tightly gripping Arthur's shoulders

_And I am eternally grateful for everything you've done. I would have died a long time ago if you didn't intervene on the subway. But I feel we can still have someone to share our ideology of life and have fun at everyone's expense_, thought Arthur solemnly

While Arthur believes that he is, in fact, seeing the stronger aspect of his personality as Joker holding him by the shoulders and pinning him to the window, the truth is it's all in his head and if a doctor or orderly were to pass by, see and listen in, they would see Arthur standing with his back to the window and talking into thin air

_Then let me take charge, _demanded Joker

_I always used to think you were right when there's nobody in the world who can love a freak like me. No matter how hard I tried to go out of my way to make friends or have a girlfriend, I was always shut down and made fun of. But when we met Harley for the first time, I could tell that she isn't like the others. She's kind, compassionate, and full of empathy. Just trust me on this, like I trusted you in the past_, pleaded Arthur

Joker looked at his weaker half with an expression of both disgust and curiosity. Disgusted with Arthur's unshakeable belief there is a woman out there for him who will accept every aspect of his very being while history shows it's nothing more than a pipedream. Curiosity at the fact, Harleen did indeed surprise him today during their sexual encounter and even before that with J Man and The Jokerz

_Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to give Harleen more time and to see where if there's any possible future between them after today's events_, thought Joker

_If I'm wrong about Harley, which I'm not. But if I am and she's not willing to take that step or do something to hurt us, I will step back and allow you to be in full control for the remainder of our lives whether it's in here or out there_, offered Arthur

_Harley can go fuck herself If I'm proven wrong_

Joker smiled at his weaker half and nods his head _Alright Arthur, we'll play it your way for now. But if she doesn't come back in the next few days which means she has chosen to abandon us, I'll take that as a sign_

Arthur sighed with relief when Joker agreed to his deal, he then closes his eyes momentarily before opening them again. As he did, the manifestation of him as Joker disappeared from his sight and the conflict within him subsiding for the time being

He walked away from his window and headed over to his bed, he sits down and laid on his bed with his head rested underneath his hands like a second makeshift pillow. Knowing that even after arguing with himself on what to do with Harleen he won't be getting any sleep, he looked up at the ceiling once more and stared off into space 

  
****

Inside his dingy apartment and sitting in front of the TV in an armchair, Ted Wilson wallows in self-pity and rager for not only losing his job at Arkham thanks to the combined efforts of Harleen and Arthur, but he is also now a single parent after his girlfriend caught him cheating with one of her friends. Unemployed and soon to be on welfare, Ted spends his days drinking in front of the TV dressed in a wife beaters shirt with black track pants

_Fucking blonde slut and that cocksucker clown,_ thought Ted as he brings the beer bottle to his mouth and takes a big chunk of the alcohol

Ted is not only angry but he is furious for the events that unfolded in a span of only a week. He went from having a decent job and starting a family with a beautiful girlfriend, to unemployed and relying heavily on the booze. He couldn't understand why Harleen or anyone at all would give Arthur the time of day and listen to his bullshit stories

He is also angry at himself for punching Arthur directly across the face, not only giving him a black eye but it's that one crucial strike is what changed everything for him. In the past, Ted had always been careful to only attack Arthur's back, chest, ribs, and legs whenever he was pissed or simply felt liked it, so that way there would be no proof of him abusing Arthur

There were times where he thought about hitting that clown repeatedly across the face but always held himself back at the last minute when Arthur kept egging him on. Obviously that all changed and finally gave in to temptation

What made this even more strange is out of all the times he spent abusing Arthur, the freak not once complained to the nurses or doctors. He always kept his mouth shut, that is until Harleen arrived and changed everything Maybe the clown has a thing for the bitch

_Whatever. Fuck them, I don't give a shit anymore. They can have each other as far as I'm concerned_

Ted takes the bottle away from his mouth and inspects it, barely seeing any alcohol inside of the bottle now he gets up from his armchair and walked over to his kitchen. He places the empty bottle next to a small pile of other empty bottles and opens up his fridge to grab another

There is only one beer bottle left with leftover Chinese food, bread, margarine, and a half-eaten chocolate bar inside _Ahh shit. I thought I had at least three more. Oh well, at least I start to get my welfare money tomorrow,_ thought now a content Ted as he grabbed the bottle and slams the fridge door

As Ted started making his way back to his armchair, he hears someone knocking on his door

Knock Knock Knock

" Who the fuck is visiting after 11 pm?" wondered Ted as he changed direction and headed straight for the door

_Maybe Carol is there and wants me back_

Ted unhooks the latch above his door with his left hand, grabs the doorknob, and twisting it slightly. When the door opened, he is greeted with a dark purple glove on a hand grabbing hold of his mouth, while at the same time feeling a blade piercing through the stomach

Instead of expecting to see his ex-girlfriend at the door, he sees The Jokerz with their leader J Man dressed in his trademark clown attire as the one not only muffling Ted's voice but also stabbing him with a butcher's knife

Ted groaned into J Man's gloved his hand, forcing him to drop the unopened beer bottle in his right hand and shattering the top half on the ground

" The Joker says hello," said J Man as he takes out the knife again before plunging it back into Ted's stomach, stabbing him repeatedly, and splitting both Ted's organs and intestines open

Blood started leaking out through not only Ted's stab wounds but also out from his mouth and dripping over J Man's glove. Ted could no longer breathe with each stab wound going deeper and deeper into his stomach, he then falls on his back inside his doorway. J Man climbed ontop of Ted and continued the stabbing until he was satisfied that Ted is no longer breathing

J Man finally takes the knife out of Ted's opened stomach which is now covered in blood, looked at Ted's face which had his eyes and mouth open with blood leaking down Ted's cheeks. J Man cracked a smile of admiration across his face before letting out a light chuckle

" Now before we leave you here, let's put a smile on that face," said J Man as he slides the knife into Ted's mouth, over to the right side of the lip and starts carving into the skin 


	19. Uncertain Future

  
Harleen gently tilted her head towards her left while laying in her bed to look at the time on her alarm clock which now read - 4:30 in the morning. She sighs in exasperation because she hasn't been able to get at least an hour's worth of sleep and had been wide awake this entire time. Then again having a guilty conscience can do that to a person

From the time she sent Arthur back to his cell to faking an illness and coming back home, the guilt-ridden therapist tried to forget about her encounter with Arthur earlier that day but failed miserably. Not only did she hate herself for not only kissing Arthur back and allowing him to touch her in places he shouldn't, she technically already cheated on Derek, the man she loved with all her heart

Or so she thought. How did it come down to this? Being in love with two men at the same time while already in a relationship with one of them. The other man Harleen had feelings for is highly inappropriate as far as her training in psychology went. She broke the one golden rule by developing personal feelings for a patient that goes far beyond what it should be

_What the fuck is wrong with me? Seriously. I'm already in a relationship with Derek, a man I love so much, and yet I'm in love with Arthur. There's no denying that now. Not after what happened yesterday_, thought a conflicted and guilt-ridden Harleen

Harleen tilted her head back to the original position with her eyes looking up at her ceiling again. It wasn't supposed to be this difficult. She should be able to easily treat Arthur without developing any emotional feelings for him and still be happy with Derek and not have these conflicted thoughts on who to choose and worried about her future

What made things even worse for Harleen is throughout the evening, she kept picturing herself going all the way with Arthur in her office. No matter how hard the woman tried to push back those urges and her feelings for the man whose's been vilified by mostly everyone in Gotham to the back of her mind while thinking about Derek, even that had failed her

It's like that other side to her both Arthur and herself had mentioned in the past. A dark side perhaps? Possibly. Harleen had many dark thoughts in the past about paying back the people who either did her wrong or just say _Fuck the rules. I'm gonna do what I wanna do for now on_. Perhaps this other side is telling her to give in to her feelings and just give up everything 

To be fair though, during the early hours of the evening Harleen did try to get into contact with Derek by ringing him on his phone number and twice through Wayne Enterprises, only to either listen to Derek's answering machine or be told he's very busy and not in

Harleen is a big believer in not keeping secrets from the other in order for a real relationship to work. She knew Derek would be devastated and crushed when he finally hears that his own girlfriend has kissed a murderer, but she was willing to take the risk for fear of losing him in the process

However, there was that other secret she kept hidden from Derek, the encounter with J Man and The Jokerz in the alleyway a couple of weeks ago, and how Harleen practically had to bluff her way into returning home alive in one piece by faking a relationship with their idol

She did contemplate telling Derek about that more than once, but then she remembered the fight they had about Arthur, and by telling Derek it would just only make things worse between them. Plus, Harleen didn't think it would be a big deal considering she did her part in asking Arthur to meet with J Man and go along with her story

But kissing Arthur and having him grope and spank her ass is something Harleen had to tell if there is any part of her that still loved Derek, and saving their relationship 

_I'm a fucking piece of shit for doing this to Derek. What did he ever do to deserve being cheated on? Nothing. All he ever did is stayed loyal to me, love me, and helped me out when times were tough. It's going to break him, I know. But I have to tell him, otherwise, I won't be able to live with myself,_ thought Harleen

Harleen then pictures Arthur being hurt and confused with how she ended their session much earlier than expected. It was clear beyond a shadow of doubt Arthur is in love with her, he wanted her as much as she secretly wanted him 

_Oh God! What have I done? Not only have I betrayed and hurt Derek. I've also hurt Arthur and toyed with his feelings. He's told me time and time again that all he wants is for someone to love him unconditionally. How he tried reaching out to others only to have his hand slapped away. He probably hates me now. Yeah. And who can blame him _

Everything is so fucked up now. How did it get to this? Is the question that's haunted Harleen throughout the night. Her job is meant to get into Arthur's psyche, get to the root cause of why he snapped, and went on a chaotic murder spree. Not fall in love with him. The only feelings she's mean to have or the person to fall in love with is the one she's already with

Harleen should have the same feelings as most of the others do for Arthur. Hate his fucking guts because he's a monster for doing what he did to those people. But as time went on between the two and she's gotten to know more about the man behind the makeup, she grew to sympathize and have empathy for Arthur

All Arthur ever wanted in his life is to have a strong emotional connection with another person that didn't treat him like an outcast or have an ulterior motive. It was the actions of society and how they treated him turned Arthur into the now infamous Joker

_Arthur isn't a monster or the Devil incarnate. He's a sweet innocent man who's become the ultimate victim of circumstance. He simply had enough of being treated like a doormat and wanted to repay the world for the pain they caused. Quite honestly, who can blame him after hearing what he's been through_

For the first time in her life, Harleen is now at a crossroads in her life and is forced to make a choice that will not only affect her relationships with Derek and Arthur but also her career and her future

The most logical and sensible approach is to obviously break all ties with Arthur, quit her job at Arkham, and set up shop somewhere else in Gotham. It should as easy as that but the thought of abandoning Arthur after making a lot of processes and the connection they share is too painful to contemplate

Harleen's only other options are to either continue treating Arthur while fighting off her feelings as best as she can or ultimately just give in to her feelings and start a relationship. Obviously not telling Derek regardless is out of the question, that has to happen 

_I think my best approach........for the time being at least is to continue pretending to be sick in order to avoid Arthur for a couple of days, while I use the time to figure things out. Oh, why does it have to be so FUCKING DIFFICULT? I should just say sorry Arthur but I can no longer be your doctor, I'm sorry but it's for the best. I should only have feelings for Derek. But I don't_, thought a frustrated Harleen while she still looked up at her ceiling

Harleen has contemplated throwing everything she's worked for and her relationship with Derek away in order to be with Arthur. Whether that included keeping their relationship a secret while continuing under the false pretense treating him as his doctor or God forbid break him out of Arkham, Harleen has yet to figure it out

She knew if she did regardless of whether they made their relationship public or not, they would forever face prejudice from the public. Hell, it would make Harleen famous or infamous in her own right just by being Arthur's girlfriend

_Funny_ smiled Harleen _Even with my guilt for cheating on Derek, the thought of being with Arthur and not giving a fuck what others think about us is thrilling. Why should we care what they think when they don't understand the bond we have?_ Harleen widens her eyes at the thought and shakes her head side to side on her pillow in disbelief

_No, no, NO! Enough with that. I'm with Derek, he's my whole world......my rock. I shouldn't be having these thoughts of betraying him_

Harleen tilted her head over to her left again to view her alarm clock with the time now reading 5:00 in the morning

_I might as well get up and start my day. Even if it's two hours earlier than normal, there's no way I'm going to get any sleep now_

Harleen sits upright in her bed, letting out a slight yawn before turning her body towards her left. She stands to her feet, stretches her arms and walked over to her window, pulling the curtains back. Her pajamas consist of a light blue short sleeve shirt, light blue pants, and red ankle socks

She then makes her way over the ensuite bathroom to turn the knob of the shower tap on and waited for several seconds for the warm water to kick in. Satisfied, Harleen gets undressed, steps in and begins washing her body

Again visions of being in Arthur's arms, touching her body, fondling her ass and pussy begin to kick in. The charming smile he would always give during their sessions crept into Harleen's mind

_Mister J_

Harleen pictures herself getting naked in front of Arthur, showing off her perky tits, her curvy hips, and round ass. She pictures herself submitting to Arthur's dominance, bending over and having his cock go deep inside her

She closes her eyes, slides her hand down to her pussy and begins rubbing slowly. The thought of Arthur taking her in from behind, groping her ass, spanking it and pulling her hair back while continuously pounding her pussy definitely aroused her

_Yes......yes, I'm a naughty girl. I'm a filthy slut. I belong to you and only you_, thought Harleen as she continued rubbing her pussy and letting out small moans

Harleen knows this is only going to make her feel even worse by the time she's done because she's cheating on Derek again, but again she chooses not to care and allow herself to give in to her dark thoughts

It is clear being around Arthur's orbit after a certain amount of time and the influence he has, has obviously sparked something within Harleen that is both thrilling and frightening to her at the same time

Harleen now started to rub her pussy faster and faster, her heart thumping rapidly in her chest, moaning more and more as she masturbated. Fingers flicking her clit

_Oh, fuck yes. Fuck me.....Oh fuck, I'm gonna cum. Fuck....fuck FUCK!_

At that moment, Harleen not only reached her climax but squirted over her legs and the tile floor, while the hot water continued dripping over her entire body. She panted for several seconds before regaining her breath

_Maybe I don't love Derek as much as I thought I did. I mean look what I just fucking did_, thought Harleen while she resumed washing her body

_How can I be so heartless? He's done so much for me, he's helped me to become slightly more confident and yet, here I am thinking about fucking my patient. Perhaps maybe I need a therapist_, thought Harleen as she giggled to herself

After finishing washing her body, Harleen turns the tap off and steps out of the shower. She grabs the towel hanging across from where she is standing, wraps it around her body and steps back into her bedroom

Harleen walks over to her cheery bedroom dresser, opening the drawers and deciding what to wear since she's not going into work for the next few days. She decides on wearing on a simple grey top and black sweatpants

As she starts drying herself off and getting changed, a lightbulb goes off in her head in regards to her conflicted feelings for Arthur and Derek

_Maybe I'm not totally in love with Arthur as I think I am. It could be just infatuation that will soon return to being purely platonic. I mean, there's a part of me that still loves Derek in some way and wants to tell him the truth about everything. Even my shortlived association with The Jokerz_, wondered Harleen while getting changed 

When she finished changing, Harleen picks up her towel, walked back over to the bathroom, hangs it up again, walks past her bedroom, and entered the main living room/ kitchen. She pulls back the curtains and opening windows up to allow both sunlight and fresh air to come in 

Harleen then makes her way over the dinner table where she last left her TV remote, she grabs it and turns it on before making her way to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee before breakfast. Usually, around this time the early morning news would be on for those that had to get up around this time to go to work or whatever

The footage of the TV shows a male news reporter standing outside of an apartment building with a couple of other people standing by including policemen who were going in and out of the building. Obviously another murder has taken place in the city of Gotham 

" Good morning for those that are just tuning in, I am Erik Blundetto and I'm standing outside a building where a chilling and brutal murder has taken place, late last night....."

Harleen scoffed " Heh. What else is new?" she asked while making herself a cup of coffee and casually looking back and forth at her TV screen 

" The murder involved a series of stab wounds to the stomach and a smile being carved into the lips of one man, the police have now identified as Ted Wilson.."

When Harleen heard Ted's name being mention by the reporter, she stopped what she is doing and turned her whole body to face her TV, watching as more details about Ted's murder unfolded. Apparently it was a random murder involving no witnesses although the Jokerz were being named as possible suspects due to leaving their trademark smiles through spray paint

At first, she was shocked because not only did she figure out during the meeting between Arthur and J Man where they must have planned and spoken about it, but Harleen herself was an accomplice for arranging the meeting in the first place

However, that feeling soon went away when Harleen remembered the times where Ted abused Arthur and shrugs her shoulders_ Meh, The fucker got what he deserved_. Harleen turned around and resumed making her coffee


	20. Mad World

J Man sits in front of a mirror applying the last set of clown makeup, his face is already covered in pale white and all that is left is to darken his eyes. After what he called a once in a lifetime meeting with Arthur Fleck, gaining his idol's approval of starting The Jokerz gang and getting some much-needed inspiration, J Man decided to alter his makeup look from Arthur in order to stand out a bit more

He starts by tracing one circle around his left eye before darkening the color with black makeup before ultimately placing a medium-size slash going downwards over the eye. While the ambitious leader of the Jokerz concentrates on his new look, he listens to news about the recent murder of Ted Wilson playing over the radio on the left side of the small desk in front of him and the mirror

" Ted Wilson, a former orderly working at Arkham State Hosptial was found brutally murdered last night by a resident who was returning home after a night out with friends. Ted received multiple stab wounds to the stomach, not only losing a lot of blood but the cuts were so deep, parts of his organs and intestines can be visible. If that wasn't bad enough, Ted's face was also mutilated where his lips have been carved into a smile. While no one saw or heard the brutal murder taking place, some have speculated that the degenerate street gang known as The Jokerz could be possible suspects due their trademark smiles through spray paint when vandalizing public property......"

J Man smiled with pride when he heard the reporter mention his group as the suspects for the murder of Ted. He wanted the people of Gotham to either believe they were responsible or at least get them talking about it. After branching out from the usual armed robbery, mugging and vandalizing, J Man decided if his group were to be successful in making a name for themselves like Arthur, they would need to step up their game big time

And step up the game they did when they went to the joint tombstones of Thomas and Martha Wayne by spray painting the group's name, having the words ha ha ha and put smiley faces over it. Sure, it still was nothing compared to what Arthur had done in the past but it was a step in the right direction nonetheless

Truth be told, during J Man's meeting with Arthur at Arkham when discussing how The Jokerz can be a household name and really honor what their idol started, Arthur didn't really give J Man any ideas on how to terrorize the city and create anarchy

The only thing that Arthur did say to J Man that will forever stick with him was _If you want to be like me. You have to think outside the box. Be creative with yourself and your group. It's time to stop playing in the minor leagues, kid_

J Man immediately understood what Arthur meant by being creative, which is why not only did he went out of his way to murder Ted as payback for the abuse his idol received, but to also carve a smile into Ted's lips. For now on, whoever J Man and his group murders or even brutally beats to a bloody pulp, they will leave their mark by placing smiley faces on their victims

Although with their name firmly in the spotlight because of this murder, J Man is going to have to think more methodically if he wants to lead his team to greatness and ensure neither he or anyone else will be going to prison. However, he wasn't worried too much about that either considering he has unnamed allies working for him in the police department

_Still. It's better to be safe than sorry_, thought J Man as he finishes placing the line coming down his left eye and proceeds to work on his right eye. While his clown makeup is slightly altered, the rest of his attire will remain intact with the dark purple jacket over his dark green shirt, dark purple pants, black and white boots, red lips and dark green hair

_Pretty soon everyone is going to fear and respect The Jokerz, when I'm through with Gotham City. Who knows, maybe we might even be bigger than Joker himself. After all, it's been a year and while his name is mentioned from time to time, it seems everyone else has now forgotten about Joker and carried on with their dull and pathetic lives_

J Man's smile grew wider as the thought of his group and himself being more famous than Joker. While he still respected and admired Arthur for standing up to the never-ending corrupted system in Gotham with the Elites calling the shots, that doesn't mean J Man wanted to forever remain in Arthur's shadow

No, he wanted to step out, be bigger, and better than Joker ever was. He wanted to have his name and memory carved into the city's history's books by the time he's either dead or an old man enjoying life in retirement

The room in which J Man is in comprised of a large desk where he would often conduct business with his men and plan their next assault, a couch, a TV, three windows over on the far right side and an area in the left corner of the room to apply his makeup. However, situated above J Man's mirror is multiple articles detailing Arthur's crimes, his personal life and multiple pictures of Arthur with and without his Joker makeup

_That meeting with Joker the other day was a dream come true. To see the man and what he did up close in that shitty Asylum was incredible. He's everything I knew he would be. I will definitely make him proud of me and The Jokerz_ vowed J Man as he finally finished putting the makeup over his right eye. He looked at his reflection, nodded his head in satisfaction and gets up from his chair

_It's showtime folks_

J Man turned around and made his way out of his room which is located on the second floor of an old industrial warehouse. He stands over behind the railing looking down at his crew who are seated around a table where they would often play poker or a normal game of cards. They were already dressed up in clown makeup with either wearing wigs or actually dyed hair. Some wear clothes that were clownish, while others wear street clothing with leather jackets

On the ground level floor of The Jokerz hangout, not far from where the gang where they are seated in an area where they can watch TV, an area to have something to eat and drink from the mini-fridge, a place to play darts and keep their weapons, and over by the rolling metal door is their van

J Man clears his throat and announces his presence catching everyone's attention

" Gentlemen!"

The Jokerz stopped playing cards and all turned their heads to look up at their leader

" The time has come for The Jokerz to create a little disorder and anarchy to this city. We've already made a name for ourselves through mugging, vandalism, violence, desecrating the Wayne tombstones, and now murder. But that is simply not good enough, not if we are to be successful as Joker himself" J Man's voice boomed with confidence

The one who grabbed Harleen and is the tallest member of the group named Drox looks at his leader and asks J Man " What about the police naming us as suspects?"

" What about them?" countered J Man with his own question as he started to walk down the steel steps built into the side of the wall, his attention locking on with Drox's gaze

" I mean. Wouldn't things be more difficult now for us to continuing operating with The Jokerz in the spotlight as the result of murder?" questioned Drox with one eyebrow raised

J Man laughed in amusement " Not at all, Drox. I have a few people within the police department firmly under my thumb and this is Gotham after all. No one gives a shit about anyone in this city, not even when it comes to murder. If the mob can get away with it, then so can we. We want the people of Gotham to know and fear us. Fear didn't stop Joker now did it"

" What do you have in mind?" asked a man named Joxer. He sits oppositely from Drox wearing a red, single coned jesters cap with a dark singlet, grey pants, and brown shoes

" We make our way over to Arkham and make a scene. Protest the incarceration of Joker and demand his release with me on a megaphone, I have over there" replied J Man, holding out his index finger and pointing in the direction of where they keep their weapons

Drox, Joxer and the others all briefly turned their heads over to the direction of the weapons area before turning their attention back to their leader, who is now approaching them at the table after reaching the ground floor

" Now, I know those morons are not going to give in and actually release Joker from his prison. But that isn't the point we're trying to make. The point is we're disrupting everyone's routine with our protesting and shouting, drawing attention to ourselves and anyone else watching in the area. Also, we may end up smashing a few cars and setting one or two on fire" stated J Man

Drox looked at J Man oddly " I don't know boss, it seems kinda stupid if you ask me. With the murder and all, shouldn't we lay low until this all blows over before doing something like that"

J Man stared daggers in Drox's direction, no longer in a humorous or a jolly mood " You dare question my leadership capabilities?" he asked coldly. He despised anyone who dared to question his methods when running this group because he will take it as a great insult to him 

" N....no. I'm just saying"

" What you're saying is you don't want The Jokerz to succeed now do you? You'd rather have us squalor like every other fucking street gang with no ambition of climbing the ladder to get anywhere in this city. You want us to continue with the spray paint, entering and breaking properties, petty things" interjected J Man in a terse voice

Drox shakes his head " No of course not. I want this group to succeed and be as big as Joker is. I just think we should be smart about it"

" You know what I think?" asked J Man

" What?"

J Man slides his hand inside his purple jacket and over to one of it's hidden pockets. He pulls out his pistol and immediately shoots Drox in the head without remorse or so much as a hint of hesitation, stunning the others as they see one of their own shot down in cold blood

" I think you should SHUT UP!" J Man then started to laugh manically at Drox's lifeless and slumped body. Finding humor in killing one of his people and not thinking twice about it. As far as he is concerned, the others are either with him and follow without question or simply be cast aside as if they were trash 

The others said nothing and sat in silence while their leader continued laughing, they don't dare to do something to piss him off and face a bullet from J Man. They wanted The Jokerz to succeed as much as J Man does, so they choose not to take the shooting to heart and act like it never happened

A few seconds later, J Man regains his composure and turned to his remaining followers " Anyone else has a problem with my plan?" he asked

The Jokerz said nothing

" Good. Grab your knives, baseballs, my megaphone, those two bottles of petrol and matches. Put them in the van and let's get moving. Chop chop" ordered J Man by clapping his hands together. He then turns around and proceeds to make his way over to the van

  
****

The Jokerz van pulls up into the car park of Arkham State Hosptial, instead of choosing to park like everyone else, the van parks right outside of the front building and blocking anyone else trying to get in. The group gather their weapons before stepping outside and standing around the vehicle, while J Man with his megaphone climbs up and stands on the roof of the van 

J Man looked up at the building, holds the megaphone close to his mouth, and does a quick soundcheck. Satisfied with the sound, he now proceeds to draw attention to himself and the group with his charisma 

" Attention workers and residents of Arkham State Hosptial, release Joker from his unholy prison. He doesn't deserve to be cooped up with those lunatics when he's sane as much as you or I ........" J Man paused for a few seconds to allow his men to speak 

" RELEASE JOKER! RELEASE JOKER! RELEASE JOKER! RELEASE JOKER!" said The Jokerz in unison

" The Joker is the only one in this shit hole of a city who stood up to the corrupt system that has plagued Gotham since it's inception. Standing up to the Elites who think they can boss and shove us around, make the rules as they see fit. Telling us what to wear, what to laugh at, where our place is in the world and it goes on and on and on......" continued J Man

" JOKER IS A GOD!!" shouted Joxer

" JOKER IS INNOCENT!" another member of the Jokerz shouted

" If you don't release Joker to us within the next five minutes then things are going to get really wild out here. I assure you. As for the self-righteous pigs who think we had something to do with the murder of that nobody, how dare you accuse us of something we didn't do" lied J Man like a shady politician would as he now turned his body to the direction of a small group of people who are now standing in the driveway of the car park 

" Mayor Hamilton banning anything clown related because of what? What Joker did last year?" J Man shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head in disgust " It's a fucking dictatorship is what it is. We should be allowed to dress as clowns as we see fit and honor our hero and savior" said J Man through the megaphone

Not only did J Man and The Jokerz protesting caught attention of those passing in the streets but several of the doctors, nurses, and patients in Arkham were now looking down from their windows. One, in particular, is Arthur Fleck himself, the man responsible for kickstarting this group

_How interesting_, thought Arthur as he smiled at the protest down below from his window

" FREE JOKER! FREE JOKER! FREE JOKER! FREE JOKER!" shouted The Jokerz in unison again

" We all know that law and order in Gotham are meaningless. How many times have you or someone you know has been victimized by scum like us and the police did jack shit? How many people have become corrupted for the sake of money, power and status?" asked J Man at the growing crowd of people in the driveway through his megaphone

The crowd of people said nothing and just looked on curiously as they huddled together, while somewhere disgusted and decided to walk away from this madness

" You know it as much as I know that Gotham is a joke and a very bad one. I encourage those that have had enough of playing by the rules to break out of your shells, act on your innermost desires for the sake of our lord and master, Joker. You don't have to dress like clowns but if you really believe in our cause, then join our movement. As a matter of fact, we're now holding tryouts to be apart of The Jokerz" announced J Man 

_He's charismatic, I'll give him that. Maybe I think we may have competition by the time we're out of here,_ thought Arthur while he continued to watch J Man from the window in his cell

_He's a wannabe compared to us, trust me. No one is going to remember that fool when we're through with,_ thought Joker, Arthur's stronger half. As he believed nobody should be allowed to out stage or outclass him 

J Man turned his body to face Arkham again, as he did he now sees two security men coming out of the building " Well, well, well boys. What can we do for you?" he asked mockingly through the megaphone 

" The police have been notified and are on their way. So you better make yourself scarce while you can" said one of the security guards 

" Is that a threat?" asked J Man with a smile

The security guards said nothing as they simply turned around and started to make their way back into the building again

" Ohh the police, I'm so scared. Since you won't release Joker to us, I guess we have no choice but to do this. Jokerz!" said J Man. When he snapped his fingers, three members went around to some of the cars nearby with their baseball bats and begin breaking the glass windows. While others started pouring the cans of petrol over and start lighting matches

The security guards turned around, understandably angry at the commotion of what the Jokerz were doing as they noticed their cars were being poured with petrol. They think about going in and trying to stop these clowns, but there were six of them. Knowing that they are outnumbered and thought it was pointless to try anything, they have no choice but to stand back, watch the chaos unfold and hope the police arrive quickly

The matches are lit and thrown to the two cars covered in petrol, the Jokerz all ran back to the safety of the van and within seconds the cars exploded into a roaring blaze, shocking the group of people standing at the driveway of Arkham's car park which forced them to disperse

Arthur smiled and laughed from his cell, relishing the chaos unfolding from below. Total anarchy had just erupted thanks to the Jokerz. This sight made him more determined than ever to break out of Arkham so he can bring total chaos and bring Gotham to his knees again. He will make everyone remember who he is 

J Man turned to look at the angry security men and simply shrugged his shoulders " Oh well too bad, too sad. Let's get out of here boys"

One by one the Jokerz all jumped into the van, J Man laughed manically while climbing down from the roof and racing around to the passenger seat of the van. He opens the door, blows a kiss to the security men before getting in and closing the door. The driver of the van drives away the vehicle away at top speed down the street just before the police arrived


	21. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harleen's world is turned upside down when she receives an unexpected visit that will shake her to her very core

  
" Babe, there's something I need to tell you, but I think it's better if you come around so I can tell you in person"

" What's so important you can't tell me over the phone?"

" I feel something as big as this and just not telling you in person is highly disrespectful and inappropriate towards you. Please come over, it's been a while since we last saw each other. Besides, you're the executive vice president of Wayne Enterprises and it's almost lunchtime. Surely you can spare at least a half-hour with me, Derek"

" Yeah, alright. It has been a while hasn't it? I'm on my way"

" Ok, cool. Love you, babe"

" Love you too"

Harleen ends the phone conversation and lays the phone down on her dining table. She sighed with relief knowing not only she finally managed to get through to Derek but he has agreed to come around and talk with her soon. However, the feeling of relief vanishes and in its place is that nagging fear of losing Derek, when she tells him she kissed Arthur Fleck

There is no way she could not come clean about this, not with the amount of respect, love, and somewhat loyalty to her boyfriend. Harleen has to tell Derek the truth because otherwise, her guilt would continue to eat away at him and her possibly developing insomnia as a result of keeping her affair a secret

_If I do end up losing Derek after telling him, then so be it. I may still feel like shit but at least I didn't hold any secrets back from him,_ thought Harleen as she grabbed her second cup of coffee, brings the mug to her lips and lightly sips on it

After having a disastrous night of no sleep, Harleen is going to need a lot of energy to not only get herself through today but also when Derek arrives and tells him the truth. She still hated how she easily allowed herself to give in to Arthur's advances, encouraging him even. She should have stood her ground and told the clown to back off, but she didn't and more importantly she enjoyed the contact

If anyone were to travel back to the past when Harleen was either starting college or still in high school and told her that she would fall in love with a schizophrenic while being in a relationship with another man, she would have told them they are liars and she would never do something like that. Plus at the time, she never thought she was worthy or deserving to be in a relationship and have a man love her anyway

But as the title of Frank Sinatra's song goes - That's life. Life can be going well for you one minute and it can go horribly wrong or strangely complex

Harleen sips on her coffee a little longer before finally putting her half-empty cup back down on her table and wiping her mouth while sitting at the table. While there it is a strong possibility and most likely scenario that Derek will leave her once she tells him about the kiss, Harleen does have hope where he may forgive her and continue their relationship

And if that is the case. What the hell is she going to do about Arthur and her feelings for him? Her feelings of Arthur are so strong that it could possibly eclipse her feelings for Derek and that's not how it should be, considering she's Arthur's doctor and is not suppose to have feelings for him or any of her patients in that nature

_If Derek does forgive me and still wants to be with me, then I'll have no choice but to hand in my resignation to Mr. Johnson and leave Arthur in the lurch. I really don't want to do that because it will crush Arthur's spirit completely and who knows what will happen to him when I leave. But if this is the only way Derek will forgive me, then I'll do it,_ thought Harleen sorrowfully 

Now the thought of actually abandoning Arthur for the sake of saving her relationship with Derek tugged at her heartstrings. Harleen can easily picture Arthur being heartbroken about the news, asking and demanding why she would do this him. He opened up to her and trusted her like no other, only to be told that she's ditching him and what they had together is based on a complete lie

Harleen placed both of her arms on the table and ran her hands down her face while also taking in a deep breath

_I'm sorry Arthur. I'm so sorry_

And then there's the possibility where Derek will not forgive Harleen and dump her on the spot. If that were to happen, maybe there can be a future between Arthur and her. However, their relationship would have to be kept in total secrecy for the sake of Harleen's career, otherwise, she'll be fired and it's more than likely she'll be barred from even going to visit Arthur in Arkham

_It wouldn't be too hard to keep it a secret from everyone, I mean all I have to do is to scribble down a few notes about Arthur's psyche, while also being intimate with him during our sessions together. Derek doesn't really need to know. Does he?_ Harleen asked herself

Harleen leaned back in her chair and sighs in frustration " God fucking damn it!" she grumbled, mentally kicking herself for being so conflicted with her emotions for these two men when it should be easy as cutting a slice of cake

She pictures herself starting her secret relationship with Arthur while still being with Derek and keeping him in the dark. She sees herself not just having sex with Gotham's most infamous criminal but also kissing and cuddling with him in the privacy of her office. Even if they only had one hour together, it was better then having no time at all with him

_This would be a lot easier if I wasn't in a relationship, to begin with. That way, I wouldn't be so conflicted and torn between him and Derek,_ thought Harleen before shaking her head in refusal

_Goddamn it, Harley. There you go again, toying with the idea of continuing to cheat on Derek and giving in to your feelings for Arthur. Come on, you're better than this. Derek is a good guy, after all, he doesn't deserve this kind of treatment_

Harleen gets up from her chair and walked over to her main window in the living room/ kitchen with possible hope that just by looking at the scenery in front of her, it'll somehow put her mind at ease and able to finally choose who to go with

At first, she looks out at the different size buildings in front of her ranging from medium to large before observing the people walking past each other on the pavement. The weather looked as though it is about to rain again with dark and light grey clouds merging together, and covering the city

_I wouldn't mind having some rain again to be completely honest. To me, it's very soothing and comforting. Especially when you're in bed and listening to the raindrops hitting the roof,_ thought Harleen as she folded her arms across her chest and smiling at the thought

Harleen knows she has to make a choice, no matter how painful it will be for her, whoever she chooses. It has to be done by the time Derek arrives and is standing face to face with him. She either tells him the truth which will mean she has chosen him over Arthur or she doesn't tell Derek and makes something up, which will mean she's chosen Arthur over him

She knows she can't keep living like this, it's not right for her or those around her either. Even if she chooses to take an entire month off from work, the problem will still be there waiting for her to solve. It's either put up or shut up

_Lord, give me strength because I really need it,_ thought a conflicted Harleen, while she still had her eyes glued to the buildings and streets of Gotham she's able to see from her window

Knock knock knock

_Huh?_

Harleen snaps out of her thoughts and turns around to face the front door on the other side of the room

Knock knock knock

" Well, that was quick" said Harleen as she walked over to her front door. She undoes her front door latch before grabbing the doorknob, twisting it slightly and opens

Instead of expecting to see Derek standing in her doorway, Harleen sees a woman in her early thirties with long brunette hair coming down to her shoulder blades. This woman stands at 5 FT 8, slim body, brown eyes wearing a half button up leopard shit with a small white tank top underneath, dark blue jeans and brown shoes

" Harleen Quinzel?" asked the brunette woman

" Yeah and who might you be?"

" My name is Maria Mitchell. May I come in?" asked Maria

Harleen lightly nods her head " Sure" she opens the door all the way and steps aside to allow Maria to enter her home

" Nice place you got here," remarked Maria as she uses her eyes to scan around the living room/ kitchen

" Thanks, I guess" replied Harleen. She closes the door and turns around the face this woman who has her back to her

" Coffee?"

Maria turned around to face Harleen and shakes her head " I won't be staying long but thank you anyway" 

" So what can I do for you?" asked Harleen

Harleen didn't need to even ask this mysterious woman in front of her of how she got her name since Harleen's name is placed on her letterbox on the ground floor of this building. But she would like to know who this woman is and how she knew where she lived

Maria's jaw tightened as she takes one step forward " What I'm about to tell you gives me no pleasure at all. In fact, I'm quite ashamed of it" she said solemnly with her eyes briefly looking anywhere but at Harleen

_Ashamed? Gives her no pleasure? I wonder what she means by that, _thought Harleen as she said nothing and simply stared at the brunette woman in front of her

" Your boyfriend, Derek Hamlin? He's been seeing me behind your back for about two years" confessed Maria, her brown eyes immediately lock onto Harleen's eyes

" What?" asked Harleen so softly it was barely audible. She then clears her throat " What did you just say?"

" I'm Derek's girlfriend. Well..." paused Maria as she rolled her eyes before correcting herself " I was his girlfriend for two years until I came under the suspicion he was seeing someone else behind my back"

It takes all of the will power Harleen had to not breakdown into tears over this revelation of Derek cheating on her with this woman. Harleen feels as though her heart had not only been ripped out from her chest and torn in half but both pieces are thrown to the ground and stomping on it until it's nothing more than a gooey mess

_No, it can't be true. Derek wouldn't do that to me,_ thought Harleen as she struggled to keep her cool

" You're lying" hissed Harleen through grated teeth

Maria shakes her head " I'm not lying. I wish I was but even then it would give me no joy to prank someone with something like this. We were both fooled by his charm, his wit, and his good looks. I tried to tell myself I was paranoid and was just a stupid bitch, but that thought of what if ate away at me. So I decided to follow him one night when he was leaving work, found him parking his car outside of this place, mentioning your.....nickname I guess, Harley before taking you out to dinner at Salvatore's" she revealed

" Wh.....why. Why would he do that?" asked Harleen with tears forming in her eyes and her heart pounding away in her chest

_I loved him. I loved him and I've been going out my mind, wracked with guilt for having feelings for Arthur and kissing him. While Derek has been cheating on me with this whore for two years. This has to be a dream,_ thought Harleen as she quickly wiped her eyes before tears could escape

" Because he's an asshole who thinks he can have all the women in the world" replied Maria

" I hate myself for getting involved with a douchebag like him and not ending it when I spotted him with you. I thought I could live with it and even consider the possibility that maybe you two were just friends. But I knew better and I just thought you should know the real him" said Maria softly

Maria sees Harleen is really struggling to hold her composure and not breakdown in front of her after exposing Derek for what he really is. It's also because just by seeing Harleen wiping her eyes and the twitch in her cheeks, she can tell that Derek had been with this woman for a long time and he was Harleen's, first love. Which ultimately makes her feel even worse about it

_Wake up_ pleaded Harleen as lightly slaps her face in the hopes she would be able to wake up from this nightmare _Please wake up. Why am I not.......why am I...... why did he do it. He knows how much I feel about him and with my self issues in the past_

" Get out" said Harleen softly to Maria but the woman could not hear her and remained standing where she is " GET OUT!"

Harleen grabs the doorknob and swings the door right open, again she struggles not to burst into tears. No matter how sincere Maria is, Harleen didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing her mentally breaking from within 

" I'm sorry" apologized Maria sincerely, she then proceeds to walk over to the front door and leave the apartment

As Maria started to approach the doorway, a switch inside Harleen's head completely flips, turning her from a sad and broken-hearted woman to a woman filled with rage. Harleen grabbed Maria by the back of her hair with her left hand, which prompted Maria to groan in pain as she is pulled back into the room 

In one fell swoop, Harleen slammed her knee hard into Maria's stomach before letting go of her hair. Miraculously the attack didn't shatter any of Maria's rib cages, however, this did little to stop Harleen's assault as she used the back of her hand to slap Maria's face, which forced the woman to fall to the floor on her left side side

Harleen stands over the mistress, ready to inflict more damage to her. Not only does she the woman who's been cheating with Derek behind her back for two years, but she also pictures seeing Derek on the floor and wanting to punish him as much as she is punishing Maria

She rolls Maria onto her back, climbs down on top of her and bitch slapped her back and forth

" HE WAS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AND YOU TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME, YOU WORTHLESS SLUT!" yelled Harleen with each slap she inflicted on Maria's face

Maria had no chance to defend or get this raging woman off of her as the pain from her stomach while also having her face constantly slapped forced her to groan and cry out in pain

" And you, my so-called boyfriend" said Harleen maniacally as she gave Maria a crazed look " HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME.....I LOVED YOU!!!"

After giving Maria a few more slaps to the face, Harleen gets off from Maria, grabs her by the hair and dragged her over to the doorway and throws Maria out of her apartment " If I ever see you again, you're fucking dead" 

Harleen slams her door shut, relocks her latch, turned around, and slides down to the ground with her knees pressed against her chest. Now that she's alone, she finally breaks down and cries in anguish, now that her heart is broken


	22. Why?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harleen's relationship with Derek reaches its breaking point

The executive vice president of Wayne Enterprises and now cheater, Derek Hamiln, parked his fancy Cadillac Seville outside of Harleen's apartment building, blissfully unaware his secret has now been exposed. He turns off the engine, gets out of the car, closes the door, and opens up the backdoor where he has two presents for Harleen. One is a small bouquet of flowers while the other is a box of chocolates

Derek uses one hand to grab these items while using his spare hand to close the backdoor and ultimately lock his car altogether to prevent possible hoodlums of trying to break in and drive off with it. He turns around and makes his way inside the apartment building while he whistles to himself without a care in the world

_I wonder what could be so important that Harley couldn't tell me over the phone,_ wondered Derek as he turned to his right and started to make his way up to two flights of stairs

An alarming thought raced through his mind which prevented Derek from reaching the second floor of the building _She's not, is she? Could that be the reason she's asked me to come over? No, it can't be_

Derek wondered if Harleen's reason for making him come over to see her is because she's now pregnant with his child. That had to be the reason, otherwise whatever she wanted to say to him didn't need to be face to face contact. He starts thinking back to those nights where they had sex, especially the very one when they made up after fighting over what Harleen should do with Arthur Fleck

_No, she's not stupid or careless like that. We both agreed that neither of us was ready to have children. Then again, we barely discussed that subject altogether. Could it be possible that our condom broke?_

Derek shakes his head to dismiss these worrying thoughts for as far as he is concerned, he neither saw himself being a father to any child or wanting one at all. He's having way too much fun enjoying the high life of being an elite member of Gotham City, that and being personally chosen by Thomas Wayne as his possible replacement until his son Bruce Wayne is old enough and ready to take the reigns of the company

If Harleen is pregnant with his child, then the fun train stops. Even if he has all the money in the world to secure himself, Harleen and their child for the future, he would rather not go out on a limb for them unless he was forced too

Another thought crossed Derek's mind with a more plausible theory and one that he could easily get behind

_Something must have happened between her and that freak in Arkham. Yeah, that's it. We both agreed to never speak of that monster's name, unless he had done something to seriously harm or threatened her life,_ concluded Derek as he cracked a smug smirk across his face

_Yep, I told Harley to not get herself caught up with the clown but she choose to ignore my warnings, and now looked at what happened. Stupid bitch_

Derek started climbing up the stairs again, he passes through the second floor of the apartment building before turning around to climb up the next flight of stairs. He is now confident with the theory of Arthur hurting Harleen is indeed true and Harleen will not only be telling Derek this but will quit her job at that miserable Asylum

It doesn't take long for the smug and cocky executive vice president to finally reach the third floor of the apartment building. He turns down to his right and passed by the first five doors in order to reach Harleen's apartment. As Derek made his way over, he spots something very peculiar from his dark blue eyes

Derek sees small patches of red stains on the carpet right outside Harleen's door

_Is that.......blood?_

Derek places the boxes of chocolates and bouquet of flowers under his left arm, while he kneels down on one knee to have a closer inspection of the red stains. He uses his fingers to trace the stains and run right through them 

_It's dry. Oh no!_

Derek stands to his feet, turned his body to the direction of Harleen's door and begins pounding his fist on it 

" Harley, open up. It's me. Are you ok? I noticed some rather alarming red spots outside your door" came the concerned voice from Derek

There is no response from the woman in question on the other side of the door, just complete and utter silence

" Harley, are you there?" asked Derek before pounding his fist on the door yet again 

Harleen, who stands by the window in her living room with her back turned, refuses to answer her so-called loving boyfriend. Just hearing his voice and pretending to act concerned for her safety made her feel sick to her stomach. Derek didn't care or love her at all, if he did then he wouldn't have cheated on her with that slut

" Answer me!" demanded Derek

_I might as well get this over with. He has no idea how much pain I'm going through but he will learn soon enough,_ thought Harleen as she turned around and slowly made her way over to her front door

All Derek could hear is small footsteps making their way over to the door, which made him somewhat relieved to know Harleen is safe. However, he didn't like the long lingering of silence that's now between them

_It's worse than I thought. Not only has Arthur hurt Harley in Arkham, but he must also have used those clowns calling themselves The Jokerz to attack her and rob her apartment,_ thought Derek decisively

Harleen unlocks her door latch before turning around and making her way back over to the window to view at Gotham City with her arms folded across her chest. She fights the urge to breakdown and cry in front of the man she used to love, not wanting to give him any satisfaction for how much she's hurting on the inside

This action from Harleen and not opening the door for him as she used to made Derek even more confused and dumbfounded as he remained standing outside for several seconds

_What is up with that woman?_ thought Derek as he decided to open Harleen's door by himself. He grabs the doorknob, twists it lightly and opens it to find his girlfriend with her back to him on the other side of the room

After closing the door behind him, Derek uses his eyes to scan around the room to look for any signs of a break-in with furniture uplifted, and items either broken or stolen. But to his surprise, nothing was stolen and everything is where they should be

Derek sighed with relief " It appears nothing is stolen or any signs of a break-in. That's something"

_Oh something was stolen alright, my heart,_ thought Harleen

" I bought you some flowers and chocolates," said Derek as he removed both items from under his left arm to show his girlfriend

Harleen refused to utter a single word to this bastard, however, this time she turns her body around to face Derek and look at the gifts he got for her. Normally she would be thrilled to receive a box of chocolates and beautiful flowers from this man, it usually made her feel loved and wanted because it was a nice gesture

But not anymore. Now Derek's secret has been exposed, she feels nothing for him or the gifts he has in his hands

" Oh really! Are you sure about that?" asked Harleen in a terse voice

" What's that suppose to mean?" countered Derek with his own question 

" You tell me" replied Harleen while staring daggers at him 

Derek is taken completely by surprise with this hostile attitude from his girlfriend, never has he seen or heard Harleen talk this way to him before. Even when their usual arguments before spending a few weeks or a month apart before making up again

" I got these for you because I love you," said Derek as he walked over to Harleen's dining table to place the box of chocolates and bouquet of flowers down on

" You don't love me" retorted Harleen

Derek places the items on the table and turned his attention to his girlfriend again but this time with one eyebrow raised " What's with the attitude Harley? Of course, I love you"

_If you truly loved me you wouldn't have cheated on me with that whore for two years. How could you sleep at night when you stayed over here or when we went out together and not feel guilty or remorse? While I have been going out of my mind, wracked with guilt,_ thought Harleen as she continued staring coldly Derek 

Derek may not be able to see it on the outside, but on the inside, Harleen is struggling to remain in control while her whole world crumbles around her. While she may not have lived a troubled or traumatic life as Arthur did, she did have her fair share of encountering nasty people that bullied her constantly, taking advantage and lying to her, which destroyed her self confidence and self-esteem

Until the man standing before her entered Harleen's life and changed her for the better, raising her confidence to the point of following through with her dreams of being a psychologist and doing her best to ignore the bullies. This allowed her to perceive the notion not everyone is evil and twisted in the world, and there are still some good people out there

All that's now changed thanks to Maria's unexpected arrival and confessing her affair with Derek to her. Now Harleen is starting to believe in Arthur's theory where no one in the world is truly good. Everyone is evil and nasty just hiding behind masks, waiting for the right moment to strike

" You tell me," said Harleen coldly

" Me? Nothing" replied Derek while shrugging his shoulders and trying to play the innocent victim

This only further infuriated Harleen whose's already struggling with her emotions and thoughts on how to handle Derek. A part of her wants to beat the living shit out of Derek, maybe even throw him out the window for cheating on her. While the other wants to do nothing and let him leave unscathed

" Harley, I gotta tell you. I don't like the way you're looking at me or speaking to me. If I've done something to offend you that I don't know about. Will you please tell me? Obviously, it has nothing to do with Arthur, I can see that now" said Derek solemnly 

Harleen lightly nodded her head " Alright, Derek. If you want to continue playing dumb with me that's fine. Keep digging that humongous hole you've gotten yourself into" she retorts

Derek said nothing and just looked at his girlfriend oddly

" Do you know a woman named Maria Mitchell?" asked Harleen

At first, both of Derek's eyebrows were raised like a kid being caught with his hand in the cookie jar before quickly shaking his head " Uh, no. No, I don't" hoping Harleen didn't catch on to his facial expression

_How does she know that name?_ wondered Derek

Unfortunately for him, Harleen immediately sees through Derek's lies and the way his eyes rose briefly in astonishment " You rat bastard" she seethed

" I know about your secret fling with that whore. Maria visited me about fifteen minutes ago and told me everything" informed the heartbroken blonde

Derek's eyes widen in horror now that's he's been found out without even realizing he has just given himself away

" How could you....." said Harleen softly before raising her voice " HOW COULD YOU? How could you do this to me? To us? Why? You know how I felt about you and where I stand with relationships"

" Babe, she's delusional. There's nothing going on between me and her, not for a long time" lied Derek as he tries to worm his way out of this situation by pretending Maria is a crazed stalker

Derek started to walk over to Harleen until he sees her holding out her open palm like a police or traffic officer when ordering someone to stop moving

" Stay right where you are. Don't come to me. Don't touch me. You don't get to do that....ever again" said Harleen through grated teeth. Her eyes were now starting to get watery despite her best efforts not wanting to cry in front of him 

" Trust me..."

" Trust you?" scoffed Harleen " That's a laugh. How can I trust you after this? You cheated on me for two years and didn't give a fuck. Then again, I'm not so innocent either but what I have done is nothing compared to what you've done" she stated

Derek looked at Harleen oddly " What do you mean by that?" he asked her

" What do I mean?" Harleen lowered her hand. Now is the time to really hurt this bastard by confessing her secret feelings for Arthur Fleck. A man who she should despise and look down on with content because of his horrific actions, but loved with all her heart

" You know that crazy psychotic clown who calls himself, The Joker. Mister J? I've fallen in love with him. Not only that but I nearly had sex with him yesterday during our session together" confessed Harleen. Just seeing Derek staring at her dumbfounded made her crack a smile

Derek dropped the innocent facade of being wrongly accused and went on the offensive " You what?"

" Yeah, that's right. I'm in love with Arthur Fleck, a man whose's been judged, mocked, abused, betrayed and manipulated throughout his life that eventually made him snap and go on a rampage, all because he wanted someone to care, love and accept his broken soul but was rejected time and time again. But all you and everyone else sees is The Devil. I allowed him to grope me, touch my tits, and spank my ass. But then I thought of you and immediately stopped myself from going all the way because I still loved you. I was so wracked with the guilt I couldn't sleep last night while trying to get ahold of you and tell you what happened. Hell, I even masturbated earlier this morning thinking of him and squirted at the thought of fucking him" beamed Harleen's voice while still smiling at Derek

Harleen's confession of her feelings for Arthur made Derek's blood boil, infuriated by what he just heard with Arthur touching her and nearly having sex with his woman. Derek turns around and slammed his fist as hard as he possibly could on the box of chocolates, squashing them in the process

" WHAT THE FUCK, HARLEY? YOU HAVE FEELINGS FOR THAT PSYCHOPATH?" 

" HE'S NOT A PSYCHOPATH. He's been a victim of the world throughout his entire life, he only wanted one thing. One thing and when he was denied time and time again, he had enough being the good guy. He wanted to make the world suffer just as he did and I don't blame him" snapped Harleen

_Good, I'm glad he's pissed about Arthur and me. Serves him right,_ thought Harleen

Derek turns around to face Harleen again " Ohh poor him," he said mockingly " Oh look at me, I'm a freak with a good heart that just wants some attention because my own parents wouldn't give it to me. Look me, I'm a comedian. The fucker has no one to blame but himself, he's killed innocent people Harleen. He caused a riot. Not only that but now he has a cult out there" he said angrily 

" Innocent? INNOCENT? Thomas Wayne wasn't innocent, Derek. I've read Arthur's files. Thomas treated Arthur horribly even when he went to confront him about being his father when Thomas wasn't. Thomas could have let Arthur down gently but he didn't. Arthur's own mother, who should have done everything in her power to protect and love him, allowed her ex to beat the living snot out of her child causing him brain damage. Arthur's own co-worker getting him fired and let's not forget about Murray Franklin. Mr. Big TV personality bringing Arthur onto his show just to mock him. They all got what's coming to them" said Harleen in a terse voice

Derek smiles and shakes his head in disbelief " You're seriously fucked up if you believe that" he then decides to be straight with Harleen about seeing and sleeping with Maria behind her back " You know why I cheated on you? Because you are a weak sniveling baby always whining and complaining about this and that. Always saying oh I don't know, oh I can't do this, complaining about petty shit. Time and time again, always feeling the blues and sad about something. Never standing up for yourself. Let's not forget the time in college where I was helping Stacey out at the library but you thought I was seeing her because you were very insecure and went apeshit on us"

" And I apologized for that, Derek. I regretted losing my cool in front of you two. I know I have a lot of pent up anger inside of me because I'm not always very good at expressing how I feel, but I managed to work on that. Until, Maria came around, whopped her butt and kicked her out" replied Harleen 

_I honestly thought we got past all of that and he had forgiven me,_ thought Harleen 

" I can't believe I ever saw something in you, I should have walked past you on the field that day we met. You're anger issues along with mental instability, you should be in Arkham with your boyfriend. I saw Maria because she was a strong woman with nothing holding her down. No baggage. No issues" confessed Derek

" Fucking piece of shit!" Harleen grabbed the nearest object near her which is a framed photo of her and Derek in much happier times and threw at Derek as hard as she can

Derek jerked back and quickly raised an arm to protect his face before the framed photo made contact and slightly hurting his arm before it fell to the ground in front of him. He lowers his arm to see Harleen now crying with tears running down her cheeks

" Fuck this and fuck you. I'm out of here. It doesn't matter if even Maria won't have me, I'll have no trouble finding other women" said an unsympathetic Derek as he turned around and started to make his way to the front door

" I was willing to quit my job at Arkham for you, even my profession. I felt like shit for having those feelings and thoughts for Arthur. I was willing to risk everything for the sake of saving our relationship if Maria didn't show up. And if you were so unhappy with me, why did you stay for so long?" asked Harleen as she wiped away her tears

As Derek went to grab the doorknob, he tilted his head back to look at Harleen one more time " Honestly? You were an easy target and maybe I didn't love you as much as I thought I did" he said half truthfully before finally opening the door, walking out of the apartment and closing the door behind him. He turns around proceeds to leave, ultimately ending their relationship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harleen/Harley Quinn and Arthur/Joker will reunite in the next chapter


	23. I Need You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Harley finally reunite in Arkham to discuss their future together. Will they finally give in and become an item? Or is the end of the road?

**Five days later**

Arthur Fleck sits upright on the edge of his bed with his feet firmly planted on the ground, his hands resting on both his knees and his eyes staring at the brick wall across from him. For the past several days he has been sitting as he is and staring at the wall like he's in some sort of a trance, and barely moving a muscle. The only time he does move is only when it's time to sleep or he's escorted to the shower units to wash 

Sometimes the orderlies and doctors themselves would have to enter the cell and check for a pulse because with the way Arthur is sitting like a statue, at first glance it looked as if he had died some time ago

In reality, though there is a raging debate going on inside Arthur's broken and fragile mind, the two sides of his personality - the sweet, innocent broken man clinging to hope Harley will return to him, Arthur Fleck. The other is the darkness and chaotic side to Arthur only known as Joker 

_It's been more than a couple of days, Arthur. It's time to fulfill your end of the bargain....by relinquishing control over that vessel forever!_ demanded Joker as the full manifestation of him his clown attire stands in front of his weaker half

_Just give it one more day. If Harley doesn't show up by the end of today or we don't hear from her, then I'll let you take over. Please,_ pleaded Arthur as he looked at Joker

_NO! I've waited more than you can possibly imagine. If it weren't for your soft-heartedness, I could have gotten us out of here long ago and make those fools out there remember who exactly I am,_ growled Joker as he balled one hand into a fist

Arthur soon sees a manifestation of his own fridge back in the apartment he used to live in appearing beside Joker. It's the very same fridge he climbed into after being rejected by Thomas Wayne with already his fragile view of the world crumbling around him. Arthur didn't just enter the fridge and closed the door to feel something as he was growing numb with the world, he did that to allow Joker to take control of his body

_You're going back inside and this time it will be permanent,_ declared Joker as with one movement of his clenched fist caused the door to the fridge to open. The cool air escaping the fridge and flowing around the two spirits

Arthur shakes his head in defiance _No! I'm not going back in there, not yet anyway_

_You don't have a choice, you fool,_ replied Joker

_What if Harley shows up and I'm not around? What will you do to her? She could reject us forever if I'm locked in there,_ feared Arthur as he takes a step back from his stronger half

Joker smiled as he sensed fear in his weaker half _We'll have to wait and see. Won't we? Now....get in the fridge,_ he ordered as he opened his fist and used his index finger to point towards the open fridge

_I can't risk it. Sorry,_ protested Arthur with his eyes locking onto Joker's once more

_YOU WILL DO AS I TELL YOU TO DO. I'm done playing games with you, Arthur. In fact, there is no us anymore. I am the true, Arthur Fleck. You? You're nothing but a pathetic waste of space. One of us is going back in the fridge and it won't be me,_ growled Joker as he started to grow very impatient with his weaker half's reluctance to accept his fate

Joker takes a step forward, wrapping his hand around Arthur's throat and lifting him into the air

Arthur gagged as he could feel Joker crushing his windpipe while also struggling to break free from Joker's grip

Joker's smile grew wider and soon breaks out into maniacal laughter enjoying watching his weaker half struggling to fight back and break free from his ever-tightening grip. He turns around and proceeds to walk over to the fridge while holding Arthur by the neck

He's put up with Arthur's whining, complaining, his love for Harley, and the humanity still lingering inside him long enough. Now is the time to not only lock Arthur inside the fridge and push it to the dark recesses of his mind but to ensure the world continues to cower in fear of The Joker

_N.....no......ple......please. Someone.......HELP!......HAR.....HARLEY!_

As the situation looked bleak for Arthur both he and Joker we're soon interrupted by a third party from the outside world

" Arthur Fleck. Hello, anybody in there?" asked Brad the orderly as he stands in front of Arthur's frozen body and waved his hand in front of him 

With Brad's voice, first signs of life and movement are noticed within the vessel as Arthur's eyes blink before looking up at the friendly orderly. But which side is in control? Is it Joker who finally managed to banish Arthur into the shadows or is it Arthur himself?

Brad smiled warmly at Arthur and feeling relieved he's still alive " Hey man, good news. You're therapist, the beautiful Harleen Quinzel would like to see you now" he announced

" Harley's back and she wants to see me?" asked Arthur to Brad, just to make sure he wasn't hearing things

Brad nods his head " Yep, she's all better now and seems to have gotten over whatever made her sick. Let's go"

Arthur said nothing as stands up turn around to face the door before walking out of his cell with Brad following behind him

After Brad finishes closing Arthur's door and locking it, he proceeds to escort Arthur down the corridor and over to Harleen's office. He didn't even bother to grab Arthur's arm as insurance that the clown wouldn't try to escape, choosing to trust him instead by walking beside him

The debate inside Arthur's head seems to have ceased as well following Brad's interruption a few seconds ago. The two sides living in the vessel no longer fighting for control or trying to put the other inside a fridge and locking them in permanently

But what side is in control is still unknown, as Arthur chooses to remain silent not just inside his own mind but also with Brad as they were walking down corridors and changing directions

" You're lucky to have a compassionate doctor like Harleen as your therapist. Other therapists I've heard or seen are not nearly as nice and empathic as she is. Plus she's smoking hot too" said Brad as he tried making conversation with Arthur who chooses to remain silent

" I don't mean that in a sexual way or what that bastard Ted probably thought of her. I mean Harleen is a beautiful person on the inside and outside. She's just one of those people you know"

Again, Arthur chooses to remain silent while being lead to the woman's office

" Not much of a talker aye? Probably too excited to see her and trust her with what you're going through I bet. That's fine, we can walk in silence" said Brad

A few minutes later, Arthur and Brad arrive outside Harleen's office. Brad lightly knocks on Harleen's door

" Arthur Fleck is here, Ms. Quinzel" informed Brad

" Good. Send him in"

Brad grabs the doorknob and twisting it slightly before opening the door for Arthur. Harleen is already sitting in her seat with her hair tied into a ponytail wearing a long white coat over her dark blue button shirt, short black skirt that went to her knees and black heel shoes

Arthur immediately locks eye contact with Harleen as he steps into the room with Harleen staring back at him. The two share a secret look knowing they'll need to address the incident between them that occurred a few days ago

" See you two in an hour," said Brad as he closes the door to give Harleen and Arthur privacy before walking slightly down the corridor but not too far away from it, so he could mind his own business

" Cigarette?" asked Harleen while holding their gaze

Arthur says nothing but nods his head instead

Harleen reaches into her hidden pocket in her coat to grab both the lighter and cigarette pack she bought for Arthur. She breaks their silent gaze momentarily to open up the cigarette box and bring one out. When she does, she places the lighter and cigarette down on the table, lightly pushing it over to the direction of Arthur's chair 

Arthur reaches for the cigarette and lighter before sitting down in his chair, he still continues to look in Harleen's direction while lightning up the cigarette

_He's still hurt from how things ended between us the other day and with me not seeing him for several days. And I don't blame him one bit,_ though Harleen while biting her lower lip  
  
Arthur lightly chucks the lighter down on the table separating him and Harleen before puffing away and taking in that sweet smell of tobacco into his lungs

_Something's happened to her. She seems different during these days we were apart_, thought Arthur before blowing smoke into the air

_I can see it in her eyes_

" After what happened between us last time, I didn't think I would be seeing you again," said Arthur bluntly, finally breaking the awkward silence between them 

" Neither did I, for a while there I considered quitting due to my relationship" replied Harleen as she looked away from Arthur's gaze and still feeling hurt from Derek cheating on her

_Now remember Harley, this isn't about you and your feelings. Even though we're pretty much free to pursue a relationship with Arthur. This is his session, not mine_

Arthur looked at Harleen with one eyebrow raised " What changed?" he asked before puffing on the cigarette again 

" Everything's changed," said Harleen quietly

" What did you say?"

Harleen finally looked back at Arthur and considered lying to him but if she did that, it may continue to damper their relationship and destroy the trust he has for her 

" I said everything's changed. But I can't tell you what it is, this is your session after all. We're here to talk about you and your past, not what's going on with me"

" Don't do that. Don't shut me out, Harley. You and I both know that in the short time we've gotten to know each other nothing is how it should be between doctor and patient. You've encountered The Jokerz and forced to set up a meeting between myself and their leader, stopping Ted from abusing me, expressing our feelings for one another and well.........you know" replied Arthur with a smirk and blowing smoke into the air again 

_But I don't want to make you think that because I've ended things with Derek that your second best and I'm only on the rebound_, though Harleen

" Tell me, Harley. We are a team after all" pleaded Arthur 

Harleen breathes in and out before slowly nodding her head " As I mentioned last time, I was in a relationship and after lying about being sick, and going home. I was riddled with guilt because not only am I in love with you, but I still loved him. I tried contacting him because I didn't want there to be any secrets between us, but I didn't get through till the next day......"

" Something tells me you didn't bother to tell your boyfriend about The Jokerz," remarked Arthur

_Maybe this is her telling me it's the end and she's leaving me forever for the sake of whoever she's dating,_ thought Arthur which caused him to feel slightly sad at this being a huge possibility

_I told you she was leaving us, you fool,_ mocked Joker's voice

" No, but I was planning on telling him that when he arrived. However, to my surprise instead of seeing him first, I saw this mysterious woman who told me, she was seeing my boyfriend behind my back for two years. It crushed me" confessed Harleen while lowing her head to look at the knees

Arthur said nothing and waited for Harleen to continue with her story while puffing on his cigarette again 

" I didn't want to believe it at first, but I did pick up on some of the odd signs between us in the past. I dismissed them as me just being stupid. When I accepted it, I fucking threw the bitch out of my home" said Harleen angrily, she raises her head to look at Arthur again 

" Well, I whopped her ass first. Then when my boyfriend showed up twenty minutes later, I made him confess and he told me how he really felt about me. So, I told him about us and my feelings for you. I even masturbated in the shower just thinking about you and it felt great. Luckily for that bastard, I allowed him to leave unharmed"

Arthur blows out smoke from his mouth one more time before snuffing out his cigarette by rubbing it on his knee " I see. So you're on the rebound and choose me because I'm second best and all you have left. Well, sorry to disappoint you, my dear. I will not settle for second best, I want to be number one!" he demanded

" No" Harleen shakes her head " This is why I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to feel like that or make me think you're a side piece or whatever. I love you, Arthur, so very much. From the day we first met and locked eyes, I felt a spark and instant connection between us. While I did use to love my ex, what we had was nothing compared to what you and I shared. We both suffered through pain, loss, and betrayal that's shaped our views of the world"

Harleen gets up from her chair and slowly walked around the table to stand in front of where Arthur is sitting. Not once does Arthur takes his eyes off his lover coming towards him

" I tried my best to shut off these feelings for the sake of my relationship, my career, and my promise to rehabilitate you. No matter how hard I tried, my feelings grew stronger every time we were around each other. I would get butterflies just by looking at you because I can see the real you underneath all that facade they call Joker"

Harleen gets in the small gap between her and Arthur before sitting down on the edge of her table while using her hand to gently cup Arthur's cheek and smiling warmly at him 

" You were on my mind 24/7 whether I liked it or not. I wanted to go all the way with you on that day by my loyalty and blind love for my ex stopped me. However, now that I know about his secret and dumped him, he made it very easy to accept my feelings for you and the fact I didn't love him as much as I did in the past"

" You......you really mean that? Everything you said?" asked Arthur to Harleen while staring dreamily in her brown eyes

Harleen returned the same loving look in her eyes to him, her smile also growing wider " Yes, I want to be with you and I don't care if it means risking my job, and contact with you. I want you. No!" she paused for a second and then corrected herself " I need you, Arthur. I need you, Joker.....everything" she said softly

_You don't know how long I've been waiting for someone to say that to me,_ thought Arthur. He decides to take an opportunity to see if Harleen is telling the truth. He does this by leaning and kissing Harleen on her lips while gently touching her cheeks

Harleen doesn't hesitate with kissing Arthur back softly and moaning at the same time. She knew she is now playing a dangerous game with Arkham's infamous patient with her job now firmly on the line, but she no longer cared about the consequences. She's finally found the man who will accept all her faults and truly be loyal to her

_I told you she wanted both of us,_ thought Arthur as he continued kissing Harleen softly on the lips, while also feeling a bulge in his pants again

_Maybe, maybe not,_ replied Joker and choosing to remain slightly skeptic

Arthur broke their kiss to now kiss Harleen's neck hungrily as he pressed his body onto Harleen and his erection to her pussy, which prompted to Harleen to gasp in astonishment and flashing him a devious smirk

" Looks like Joker Jr. wants to play" teased Harleen as she wrapped her arms around Arthur's back

Arthur begins writing his name with his tongue on Harleen's collarbone while pushing his cock into Harleen's now wet pussy. He loved hearing her moan, to him it's a drug more addictive than smoking tobacco or heroin. Not that he ever tried heroin anyway 

" Ohhh.....God......Joker" moaned Harleen quietly

Arthur stopped kissing Harleen's neck and collarbone to smirk " That's right Harley, moan for me" he pulls his cock way to slide one hand underneath Harleen's dress and underwear to feel her pussy which is now soaked

" My my" chuckled Arthur " My little slut is dripping down there and moaning while knowing full well we could be caught at any moment. How much do you want me?" he asked her before slowly rubbing his hand on Harleen's clit

It takes all of Harleen's will power to not moan out loud and draw Brad's attention to what she and Arthur are doing in her office

" I want you so fucking badly" answered Harleen softly and closing her eyes while buckling her hips and legs at her clit being rubbed 

Arthur continued rubbing Harleen's clit before it giving three-light slaps with one hand, he uses his other hand to unbutton her shirt to fondle her tits and giving them a firm squeeze

"Take me.....make love to me Arthur..." cooed Harleen lovingly the whole moaning at Arthur rubbing her clit and squeezing her tits

" Beg me" smirked Arthur. He starts to use his tongue to flick and suck on Harleen's nipples while using his right hand to grope, squeeze and play with Harleen's tits, and using his left hand to rub both Harleen's clit and pussy

" Please, Arthur...eh Joker. Please, I need your fucking big cock right now. I need it so bad, I need you inside me" begged Harleen

_Beg and you shall receive my dear,_ thought Joker

" That's what I like to hear," said Arthur as he slides his hand out from Harleen's dress and away from her unbuttoned shirt. He licks his fingers to taste Harleen's juices before starting to undress 

Harleen quickly throws off her coat and unbuttons her shirt before throwing it to the ground as well. She stands up, moves away from the table and Joker to remove her bra, dress, underwear, and shoes

_This is mean to be. I know it is. Who would have thought true love would come in the most unlikely of places. He loves me and I love him, that's all that matters,_ thought Harleen, finally finishing undressing herself 

Like Harleen, Arthur is now completely naked himself with his fully hardened cock. He stands up and turns to his new girlfriend " Layover there" he said while pointing his finger at the couch behind Harleen 

Harleen tiled her head to look at what Arthur is pointing at and nodded " Yes, Mr. J" she cooed before turning around. As she did, she feels Arthur's hand slapping her butt and making her moan

She then does as she is told by laying her back on the couch, bracing herself while Arthur climbs on top of her

" Are you sure this is what you want?"

" Yes, I've never been more sure of this than anything else in my entire life"

Arthur guides his cock inside Harleen's pussy which prompts both of them to moan, Harleen moaned more so than Arthur because of how big he is inside her. Arthur starts to thrust gently and slowly while leaning in to kiss Harleen softly on her lips again 

Harleen kisses Arthur back softly while running her hands up and down Arthur's slender back. She then chooses to slide one hand to gently grab Arthur's greasy black hair, while using her other hand to rest on his lower back

She spreads her legs open as far as she can before raising her hips and legs against Arthur's. Harleen also moans into Arthur's mouth with each thrust he makes because he now started to pick up the pace and starts to pound Harleen's pussy with all his might 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop whoop hope you guys enjoyed it. They finally hooked up


	24. Harley Quinn

  
"Wow, I never knew I could be so naughty" grinned Harleen as she laid on top of Arthur's chest wearing only her half buttoned-up blue shirt, while Arthur laid on the couch and wearing his white pants

Arthur flashed Harleen a mischievous smirk " I always knew you were a vixen, Harley. It was just only a matter of having the right person to help bring it out" he said to her while wrapping one arm around Harleen's slender back " Besides, it's me after all. If anyone were to walk up to your door and heard some strange noises, they would burst in and catch us"

"This is true" Harleen nodded her head " Ya know, this isn't the first time I thought about breaking the rules. And I'm not talking about what we just did or setting up a meeting between you and J Man" she revealed

"Oh really?" asked Arthur curiously with one eyebrow raised 

"Mmhm. Ever since I was in high school, I often thought about breaking the rules and doing what I really wanted to do for a change. That and just to see what it felt like to be bad for once" replied Harleen as she smiled at her new boyfriend

Arthur smiled back at her " Why didn't you?"

Harleen bites her lower lip and shifts her eyes away from Arthur's green emerald eyes " If I tell you. Will you promise not to laugh?" she asked him. Just the thought of bringing up that story almost turned her face bright red

" It's that bad huh" teased Arthur as he grinned at Harleen

" I'm serious, Arthur. If I tell you, please do not laugh at me because even now at the age of thirty-two, I find the whole thing embarrassing" 

Arthur nods his head " Alright, I solemnly swear to not laugh at your story. Scouts honor" he holds up his free hand does the scout salute

Harleen shifted her eyes back to Arthur and nods in satisfaction " Ok, here goes. This was this boy I liked back in high school, I was too nervous to ask him out on a date but he knew I liked him. He was a bit of a bad boy"

" Not as handsome or dynamic as me though" replied Arthur in an arrogant tone

Harleen grinned like the Cheshire Cat " Not even close. Anyway, one day this boy asked me to skip school and come hang out with him at the mall for the day. For once, I was dead set on making that happen and to experience what it felt like to skip school. My grades were already perfect, so what's the harm?"

Arthur said nothing in reply

" We had a day set on Friday morning. I was excited and so was he.....but" Harleen paused for a moment as her face now turned bright red " Aw geez" she turned her head away from her boyfriend out of embarrassment

_Maybe this wasn't such a good idea,_ after all, thought Harleen

" Come on now, Harley. You have to tell me what happened. I mean, I told you my secrets and it's only fair if you do the same" replied Arthur as he removed his arm from Harleen's back, uses his hand to gently grab Harleen's chin and turn her head back to face him again

" You can tell me" encouraged Arthur before kissing Harleen on her lips softly

Harleen kissed Arthur back softly and now feels confident enough to continue with her story " Like I said, I was dead set on it and was ignoring that nagging voice inside my head. My conscious. But........it wasn't long until I got scared and ultimately gave in. I ran back inside and left him at the front gate"

Despite his promise to not laugh at her, Arthur couldn't help but burst into laughter as he found Harleen's story both amusing and cute at the same time. He now pictured Harleen running back inside like a scared little puppy while laughing his head off

" Hey!" Harleen balls one hand into a fist and she hits Arthur as hard as she could on his left shoulder. Not amused at all with Arthur laughing at her and now regretting ever telling him

" I knew I shouldn't have trusted you. Hmph" Harleen started to climb off of Arthur but is immediately pulled back down when he wrapped his arm around her back again 

Arthur opened his eyes and sees Harleen giving him a scornful look for laughing at her when he said he wouldn't, this only made the madman laugh even harder at his girlfriend's attempts to be mad at him 

For the first time in his life and without Joker's influence of wanting to create chaos and murder people, Arthur is truly happy and comfortable with himself. Not only does he feel accepted by someone other than himself, his feelings for that person which in this case is Harleen are reciprocated

Try as she might to stay mad at her boyfriend, Harleen soon gives in, forming a smile of her own and joining in on the laughter_ How can I stay mad at him? He's so adorable_

" Oh, Arthur. I can't stay mad at you, even though I have every right to be"

The laughter finally subsides, Arthur wipes away the tears from his eyes and smiles at the beautiful woman laying on top of him " You want to know something?"

"Uh-huh" replied Harleen while smiling back

" You're the one I've been searching for, Harley. The woman who I can not only form a strong emotional connection with but someone where I can be myself and not looked down upon or judged as a freak. For a long time, I came to the realization, that I was destined to be alone because no one would ever understand or love a monster like me. Which made it slightly ok, I guess.......and then I met you and everything changed" confessed Arthur as he stared lovingly into Harleen's eyes

Harleen returned the same loving look in her eyes at Arthur's " You're not a monster, Arthur. You never were. We all deserve to be loved, no matter how different we are compared to the rest of the world. You especially deserved to be loved for all the pain and suffering you went through"

She uses one hand to cup Arthur's cheek before kissing him softly on the lips again, which prompted Arthur to kiss her back and two continued kissing each other for a few seconds until Harleen breaks it

" I thought the same until I meet my ex and thought he was the one for me. He was the longest person I've ever been with until I saw his true colors. But you know what? I'm glad I did because he ultimately leads me to you"

" I promise you, I will not be like him. I will treat you like a Goddess and so much more. After all, that is what you deserve for being so kind, compassionate and understanding towards me" replied Arthur

Harleen's smile grew wider " I know you will and I will treat you like a God"

Arthur finally has everything he ever wanted, he has Harleen who loves him unconditionally while also making a name for himself in Gotham. He's on cloud nine and hoped this feeling never goes away. However, happy as he is, he immediately starts to be filled with dread as the strong half of his personality speaks to him 

_Don't be a fool. You're a murderer, a psychopath. Even if she wants to be with us, it will mean her life will never be the same again. She'll be putting her entire career on the line and if she's caught, she'll be fired and hounded by everyone.......forcing her to leave Gotham and abandoned us. Did you really think this would be a happy ending?_ taunted Joker

Upon hearing this, Arthur no longer smiled at his girlfriend and instead had a grim expression on his face. He knew Joker was right, their relationship will never be normal and will be extremely dangerous. They would have to constantly hide their love to ensure Harleen isn't fired. The last thing Arthur wants is for Harleen to be fired and chased out of the city because of him

Harleen immediately catches the negative vibes radiating off of her boyfriend " What's wrong, babe?" she asked him

Arthur didn't say anything and just stared at Harleen while listening to his stronger half

_If Harley truly does love us, we'll have to put her to the test and prove her loyalty. Even if she is caught,_ suggested Joker

" Arthur?"

No response

" Arthur, please!"

Arthur's whole demeanor changes within a blink of an eye, he no longer looked worried or concerned about the future of his relationship with Harleen. In its place is a stern look, which sent shivers down Harleen's spine

" Harley, I love you and nothing will ever change that. I want this to work but you and I both know, we can never have a normal life together. I'm an insane criminal, so says the media. And you?" he paused for a brief moment to just stare at her " You're a beautiful, compassionate, and intelligent woman who's meant to be treating me. Anyone catches us, it's game over"

" It doesn't matter if our relationship isn't normal, Arthur. We love each other and that's all that should matter. Forget about my boss and the shitstains out there, I love you and I want to be with you. But you're right, we'll have to play it smart. If we're caught, there's a good chance I'll be barred from even visiting you" replied Harleen

" You do realize sooner or later, I'm going to break out of here and when I do, I'm going to pick up where I left off. There will be more violence, death, and destruction in my wake. Could you really stay and love me?" asked Arthur to Harleen

Harleen said nothing in response as she was caught off guard with Arthur intentionally telling her of his desire to break free from Arkham. She can see that he wasn't kidding either, she can tell by the look on his face that he is serious about escaping 

" While I do appreciate you saying that you love me, but I really need to know if you're my soulmate and will stand by me no matter what. So I will ask you again. Would you love me, once I break free from my holiday home?"

_You're scaring her. Can't you see that by pushing her like this, it'll make her run away,_ thought a fearful Arthur as he is no longer in control of his body

_Be quiet, this is the only way to ensure her love and loyalty towards us,_ thought Joker

" I need to know now, Harley. If we are to have a future together, I need to know you'll be there"

" Of course I will. I've seen how people are like out there, what they've done to you, to me and to each other" answered Harleen without giving it a second thought. She loves Arthur with all her heart and she would follow him into the fires of Hell if need be

Arthur gives Harleen a quizzical look after hearing her answer " Are you sure? Don't say that you love me if you have reservations about my intentions for this city and the people that live in it" He really needed to know for sure if Harleen will stand with him through thick and thin

" Yes, baby. I'm done playing Ms. Goody Two Shoes and hiding what I really am underneath this facade I show to the world. I love you, Arthur. I am devoted to you and your ideology. I will live and die for you"

" Careful. Don't say this oath thoughtlessly! Your life will never be the same again, everything you once were will be gone when you take the next step. I'm not someone who should be loved because of my actions, obviously, you do though. But I really need to be assured that you won't run off when things start to get crazy out there" replied Arthur as he stares into Harleen's eyes and looking into her soul

Harleen stares back into Arthur's eyes, determined to prove her love and loyalty to him " My life isn't worth living if you're not in it. I don't care what happens to anyone out there, just as long as you and I are together is all that matters"

Arthur softened his expression " Alright then. In order for you to truly devote yourself to me, I ask of only two things" he tells her

" Whatever it is, I'll do it" answered Harleen without a second thought

_What are you up to?_ asked Arthur

" I need you to cast aside and destroy Harleen Quinzel, remove anything, and anyone that is associated with her. She's dead and she's never coming back. In her place is.." Arthur paused briefly to just stare at his girlfriend before a lightbulb went off in his head

" Harley Quinn. My queen, my soulmate, my partner in anarchy"

" Harley Quinn" recited Harleen before nodding her head in approval " I like that. Yeah, Harley Quinn, it is" she said before kissing Arthur deeply on his lips

_Anything for you, my love,_ thought Harleen 

Arthur kisses Harleen back deeply and placed his hand on her ass to squeeze tight before spanking it lightly, causing Harleen to moan slightly

Wait a minute, thought Harleen as wondered what Arthur could possibly mean about removing all ties to her former life. Her parents were living in another state and the only other meaningful person was Derek before learning of his true colors

" I already broke up with my ex because he was a lying cheat and I really have no one else that I'm associated with as Harleen Quinzel. My parents on the other hand? They'll catch wind of my relationship with you at some point and probably disown me, so I really have no one else left. No one but you"

Arthur isn't entirely certain as Harleen is about her life " Are you sure about that?" he asked her

"Yes" answered Harleen

" Are you really sure?"

"Well, what else is there?"

Arthur smirked at Harleen and decided to play a little mind game with her, he knew what he wanted her to do and could have easily have given her the answer, but in order for him to truly believe that she is the one for him, she needs to figure it out herself

" You tell me, babe. Are you sure there's nothing else, holding you down?"

This made Harleen slightly angry because she struggled to find any reason or anyone else in her life that will hold her back from accepting her new life as Harley Quinn and Arthur's life partner " If you know something that I don't, then spit it out already. I told you, I'll do whatever it takes to prove myself to you. Even though my declaration of my undying love and devotion should be more than enough" she stated

" You're a smart woman, Harley. Probably the smartest woman I've ever come across in my life. I do appreciate your love and devotion towards me and that would have been enough if we met last year, but because of what I've done and what I'm going to do in the near future, I need to know that you're in this for keeps. I will not change who I am" replied Arthur

" And you shouldn't because I would never ask or demand you do," said Harleen sincerely

Arthur cups Harleen's cheek and looks into her eyes " I want us to work, I really do. You're the perfect woman for me" he paused briefly and then corrects himself " Almost perfect. I severed all ties to my past in order to embrace who I really am. I know there's a darkness in you that is equal to my own, you need to break it out and allow it to consume you. Only then will you be able to destroy what's left of your former life. I believe in you, Harley. You just need to believe in yourself"

_OK! That's far enough. Step back and let me take over. Can't you see this will only push her away? I know what you want her to do and she doesn't need to do it. Let me in,_ demanded Arthur

_Fuck off, you don't have a say in the matter. You should be thanking me for demanding Harley to fully commit herself to me. Yes, me. I'm the real you and you're just a piece of my memory. Now begone, go back in the fridge,_ though Joker as a manifestation of him threw Arthur inside the fridge, locking him in and breaking off the door handle 

Harleen is still confused as her head raced with thoughts on what Arthur could possibly mean by removing whatever is left of her former self in order to really be Arthur's girlfriend. In fact, this is the first time he had ever talked or demanded something from her in such a manner. He's is usually sweet and gentle when talking to her

She breaks free from Arthur's grip, climbs off of him and the couch _Could Arthur have been right about having a split personality? Is this Joker?. The Joker that started the Clown Movement and murdered several people including Murray Franklin?_

Arthur notices Harleen looking at him oddly " Do you have what it takes to be what I know you can be? You may have done a deal with The Jokerz, set up a meeting between myself and J Man, but you need to be pushed little more until Harley Quinn is released" he said while grinning at her 

Harleen said nothing as she struggled with her emotions and thoughts on the man she claimed to love. Despite the murders, riots, and chaos from last year, Harleen looked past that because got under the skin of the one responsible for all it. She's looked into Arthur's eyes and see that he is not a monster, he's just a man lashing back at society for picking on him for so many years

Even with Arthur speaking to her in a cold and authoritative way and being taken back by surprise, Harleen secretly got a kick out of it. She didn't know exactly what Arthur meant, but she is determined to figure it out because she refuses to imagine her life without her soulmate in it

" You said there were two tasks. What was the second one?" asked Harleen

Arthur sits upright on the couch and turns around so that his feet are planted on the carpet, he leans back slightly and runs his hands through his hair " The other? You know how I mentioned earlier that I plan on escaping from this holiday home?"

Harleen lightly nods her head " Mmhmm" she murmurs

" Well, I've decided that once you've figured out how to become Harley Quinn, I want you to break me out of here. So the reign of chaos and destruction can begin again" chuckled Arthur

****

Duncan Johnson, the Warden of Arkham State Hospital, stormed through the corridors like a man on a mission. Several of the orderlies, nurses, and doctors noticed how tense their boss by reading his facial expressions which is a mixture of anger and disgust. They also noticed how fast he is going like a speeding bullet and just barely had seconds to stand clear or else face the risk of getting knocked over

It was only five minutes ago where Duncan was in his office, working out the budget and rotating the shifts of his employees until he received a call who revealed to him some disturbing news in regards to Harleen and Arthur. Not the man to take anything to chance, Duncan dropped everything he was doing in order to go over to Harleen's office and see for himself

As Duncan round the corner on the next corridor on his right, he spots Brad nearby sitting on the bench doing a crossword puzzle, instead of standing directly outside of Harleen's door or at least close to it

" What are you doing?" asked Duncan as he approached Brad

Brad looked up from the crossword puzzle to see the Warden standing over him " Just doing the crossword puzzle while giving Harleen and Arthur their space" he said as a matter of factly

" You should be standing close to the door" reprimanded Duncan while giving a look of disgust to the friendly orderly

" Why? Ever since Harleen became Arthur's doctor, he has not once tried to kill or attack her as he did to the others. Besides, don't they need their privacy to talk?"

" If you just heard the same story that I did, you wouldn't be asking me such a ridiculous question" replied Duncan before nudging his head " Follow me and you can see for yourself," he said

Brad nods his head " Alright" he places the crossword puzzle down beside him and gets off the bench before turning and following Duncan down the corridor to reach Harleen's office

****

" I had a feeling you would say something like that" smiled Harleen " I don't know exactly what you mean by removing what's left of my former life, but I will do whatever it takes to figure it out. You're my soulmate, Arthur. My one true love and I do not want to be separated by you......ever!"

_It may take me a while to figure out what you meant by breaking what's left of the ties to my old past and how to break you out of Arkham. Lord knows I can't do that alone. One thing I do know for certain is that I will not let you down, Mr. J,_ thought a determined Harleen

Arthur smiled back at Harleen as he stands up from the couch, grabs Harleen by her lower waist, and pulls her closer to him " That's my girl. I know you can do it, Harley. Even if I'm not with you physically, I am there spiritually, emotionally and mentally"

" I know with your love and guidance, I'll be able to accomplish anything. I love you so much" said Harleen softly while wrapping her arms and hands around the back of Arthur's neck

" And I love you"

Arthur and Harleen lean in and kiss each other on the lips deeply and passionately, while their bodies are pressed together. Their kiss soon turned hungry as they both moved their hands to explore the other's body, primed to have another round of sex before their session is over

Until without warning, Duncan throws the door wide open and storms into Harleen's office catching the two in the act, while Brad stands behind him 

" What the fuck!" exclaimed Duncan, not liking what he is seeing in front of him 

Harleen immediately made eye contact with her boss, forcing her to stop kissing Arthur and stare in horror because she knew what this meant for her career and her relationship with the clown. What surprised her is how the hell did Duncan know that made him storm his way into her office

_How the fuck does he know?_

Arthur simply turned his head to look at Duncan standing in the doorway and grinned at him


	25. Realization

Inside Duncan's office, Harleen sits upright and is unrepentant for falling in love with Arthur as she watches Duncan pacing back in forth from the other side of his desk that separated him from her. It's almost as if Harleen was back in high school where she did decide to skip class and was called into the principal's office for punishment

Harleen continues watching her boss pacing back and forth, while also on the odd occasion giving her a few dirty looks. Instead of looking remorseful or ashamed of her actions knowing full well that her career in Arkham and as a psychologist is definitely over, she chooses to just smile at the Warden

_If he thinks by giving me those looks it'll make me beg to keep my job, he's even dumber than I thought. Although I would like to know what made him burst into my office and catch me and Arthur together. Someone must have given him info. But who? No one knows about my feelings for Arthur,_ thought Harleen

Duncan finally stops pacing as he turned to face his colleague, walked over to the left side of his desk and sits down, sitting almost directly in front of the woman in front of him " I have to say I'm very disappointed in you. I mean. Just exactly what where you thinking?" he asked Harleen to break the lingering silence between them

" What was I thinking?" recited Harleen

" Yeah. What were you thinking?" asked Duncan again while folding his arms across his chest

Harleen decided not to say anything and instead chooses to smile as her answer as to why she was half-naked with Arthur and kissing him when she should be treating him for his condition

" When I first saw you, I thought you were beautiful, bright, and somewhat capable. I honestly didn't think you would have any luck in dealing with that psychopath. No one has been able too since he was sentenced here last year. If it were up to me, I'd leave him locked up in his cell and rot. But rules are rules. Then as time went on and I read your reports, especially when you first came to me about requesting to remove Mr. Fleck's straight jacket, my opinion of you changed. I thought you were stupid and naive for allowing him to get inside your head" said Duncan as holds up one hand and pointed it to the side of his head in a gesture

_Blah blah blah_, thought a bored Harleen while still smiling at Duncan

" But then there was the discovery of Arthur being abused by a member of my staff. You managed to break through and gain his trust. My opinion of you then changed, I thought maybe I was wrong and had underestimated you. But I was right the first time. Wasn't I?" asked Duncan

Harleen smiles and shrugs her shoulders

" You do realize this is the end of the road for you? I'll make sure you never get another job as a psychologist in this town ever again. I have connections" threatened Duncan

_What is wrong with this woman? Instead of trying to defend her actions, she's just sitting there with that big stupid grin on her face,_ thought Duncan as he becomes slightly angered with himself for assigning Harleen to treat Arthur and Harleen herself for not answering him 

Harleen continued to say nothing and just smile at the Warden. While her heart is filled with dread because it'll be sometime before she is reunited with her soulmate again, she needed to stay strong in front of Duncan or anyone else scorning her for having feelings for Arthur

She didn't even care about the threats being made to her about having her career in psychology coming to an abrupt end. As long as she has Arthur in her life, as well as his love and guidance that's all that truly matters to her

" Anything to say!" said an irked Duncan while continue to give her a scornful look

" I didn't plan on falling in love with Arthur Fleck. In fact, I tried my best to remain professional for the sake of my career and my ability to treat him. But you can't help who you fall in love with. As for your threats against me?" Harleen shrugs her shoulders at Duncan " I'm scared"

" It's not a threat, Ms. Quinzel. It's a promise" replied Duncan as he gets off the edge of his desk, walked around and sits down in his own chair 

"As I said, I'm so scared"

" You should be. Not only will I ensure your career is over but when word gets out to the members of the public, nearly everyone will hound you. Those that are not the degenerate scumbags like The Jokerz at least" stated Duncan

Harleen's smile grew wider before letting out a small giggle as she found Duncan's threats very amusing " We'll see about that. Won't we, Mr. Johnson?"

" Enlighten me, Ms. Quinzel. What possessed you into.....into having feelings for a monster like Arthur Fleck?" asked Duncan as he struggled to even comprehend of anyone let alone Harleen have fallen in love with a monster like Arthur

Harleen's smile quickly faded and flashed Duncan a hateful look " Arthur Fleck is not a monster. He is a normal human being who's suffered nothing but pain and trauma throughout his entire life. He has constantly been pushed around, picked on by society, lied, and manipulated by those he thought he could trust. His own fucking mother stood by and allowed Arthur to be beaten to a pulp by one of her exes and become malnourished for fuck's sake!" exclaimed the now enraged therapist

_Keep it cool Harley, keep cool. He's not worth it. But if he keeps bad-mouthing Arthur like that, I may be forced to reach over and rip his FUCKING throat out,_ thought Harleen 

Duncan bursts into laughter, mocking Harleen for allowing herself to be manipulated and sucked in by that clown's lies. This even made him ball one hand into a fist and slammed it down on his table before throwing himself back on his chair

Harleen continued giving the laughing Warden hateful looks, struggling to find any humor or reason why the bastard is mocking her for telling him the truth about who Arthur really is as a person

Her eyes glance down to the open packet of cigarettes on the right side of Duncan's table and soon becomes tempted with lighting them up and using them to burn her's bosses eyes out

" Oh, Harleen," said Duncan after finally calming down and wiping away the tears from his eyes " You've allowed that bastard to get inside your head, twist your mind, and making you believe his bullshit. I have to say, for a someone like him, he sure knows how to play mind games with trained psychologists"

" I don't expect an ignoramus such as yourself to understand the connection I and Arthur share. The love we have is real. Neither you nor anyone else in Gotham will ever break the bond between us" vowed Harleen

Duncan simply smirked at the woman in front of him " I'm surprised a dumb blonde bimbo such as yourself even knows the meaning of ignoramus, let alone pronounce it. You are so stupid if you think that man has any feelings towards you"

_Maybe I should have her committed to Arkham,_ thought Duncan as he started to seriously consider this idea 

" I see the world clearly Mr. Johnson, for the first time. Everyone pretends to be something they are not, they hide behind masks to those around them when secretly they are dark, broken and twisted wanting payback. Civilization and life itself is a joke. Mr. Fleck has allowed me to discover who I truly am and I will eternally be grateful for him" replied Harleen sincerely 

Duncan said nothing and just stared at his colleague sitting across from his desk _This woman is fucking nuts. Maybe even crazier than that nutbag_

He may have lived in Gotham throughout his whole life and knowing full well the city is crumbling due to corruption and crime, never in all his years has he ever met people like Arthur and Harleen and hearing their outlook on life

" Just out of curiosity, Mr. Johnson. What made you storm into my office and know about my secret relationship with Arthur?" asked Harleen. She had to know who told Duncan and why, since she never told anyone else about it 

" Ten minutes ago, I was in here and busy working out the new budget as well as updating the roster, until I got a call from a source who wanted to remain anonymous and I will choose to respect their wishes" answered Duncan as he grabbed his cigarette carton, pulling out one cigarette before lighting it up

Harleen turned her attention away from the Warden to try and work out who the anonymous source is and who could possibly know about her feelings for Arthur. She wasn't stupid because kept it all to herself so she can continue their relationship in secret, but obviously she wasn't smart enough

_Who the fuck could possibly know about us? I was good at keeping it a secret, even when I tried to fight off my feelings for Arthur. As far as I know, neither Brad nor the other orderlies were listening on the other end of the door, otherwise, they would have reported it long ago and I'm not really a sociable girl outside of work,_ thought Harleen while her head raced with thoughts

Duncan said nothing while lighting his cigarette up and puffing away. He could easily just have Harleen thrown out now and prevent her from figuring out who told her, but he didn't think there was any harm or point in Harleen trying to find the answer for herself

_Who the fuck knows. Who the... No, it can't be!,_ Harleen paused in mid-thought as a lightbulb went off inside her head which caused her eyes to widen in her horror. The answer to her question was standing in front of her the whole time 

Harleen soon remembers her last encounter with Derek after confronting him for cheating on her for two years with that woman named Maria. In a fit of anger, Harleen blurted out her hidden feelings for Arthur just to get back and hurt Derek as he did to her 

_That bastard,_ thought Harleen as she started grumbling underneath her breath. It was bad enough she had her heartbroken by that man, now Derek wants to ruin her career and contact with Arthur, which will make her even more miserable

Duncan stared at Harleen's facial expressions, noticing the ticks in her cheeks and small flashing of teeth while puffing his cigarette and blowing smoke in the air. He has no doubt in his mind that Harleen has now figured out who told him 

" Judging by how angry you are, you know the person who contacted me," said Duncan

_I can't fucking believe it! First, he cheats on me with that slut and now he wants to destroy any happiness I have with another man. He's going to fucking get it. Ohh!,_ thought Harleen as she now finally realized what Arthur meant by destroying what is left of her former life

This in turn caused Harleen to soften her expression and smile again as she did at the beginning _Of course. It all makes sense. That's what Arthur wants me to do_

Harleen turned her head back to Duncan while smiling at him. This smile in particular wasn't the same as she used earlier where she felt justified in her actions or loving Arthur. No. The smile she gives to Duncan is unnerving, it almost looked maniacal

" Clear out your things, I want you off the premises within the hour. You are also banned from ever setting foot inside Arkham unless you get locked up for being an insane woman. Which is what I see before me, but I'm willing to give you one chance"

" How gracious of you, Mr. Johnson"

" I'll also have security escort you"

" As you wish but I assure you, you haven't seen the last of me"

****

It only takes Harleen fifteen minutes to clear out her entire office and place her belongings into a single storage box. She takes one last look around the room before locking her eyes onto the two empty chairs with a small table between them in the middle of the room. She sighs softly to herself 

_Remember Harley, this is only temporarily and not forever. Once I kill the fucker for trying to destroy my life, I will break Arthur out of this shit hole and we will be together again,_ thought Harleen as she tries to remain calm and not to succumb to her emotions which were now a mixture of sadness at the fact Derek is hurting her again for separate her from Arthur and pure rage of wanting revenge

Harleen vows to make Derek pay for everything he's done to her and mentally kicked herself for not attacking and throwing Derek out of her window when she had the chance. Instead of doing that, she allowed to him get off scot-free. A mistake, Harleen will soon rectify

_I can't believe I saw anything in that bastard and allowed him to be my first love. No matter, once I'm through with him, he'll be nothing more than a distant memory. It all makes sense now. In order for me to embrace my true identity as Harley Quinn, I must kill Derek. He is my last link to this miserable life I currently have and once he's gone, I can start anew_

Unlike her involvement in the death of Ted Wilson, it appears Harleen has no qualms about getting her own hands dirty and commit cold-blooded murder for the first time. The thought of having to kill her former boyfriend doesn't even phase her If anything it's going to motivate her to fully commit and devote herself to Arthur

_I'll make Derek rue the day he ever laid eyes on me,_ thought a now determined Harleen as she picked up the storage box, carrying it in her arms and taking one final walk out of her office where Scott the security guard is already waiting for her

" Let's go, Harleen," said Scott

" Could I least say goodbye to Arthur?" asked Harleen as she looked at Scott while stepping through the doorway

Scott shakes his head " I'm afraid not, Duncan wants you out of here ASAP!"

" Pretty please" pleaded Harleen in a cute voice while smiling at Scott

" No can do. Sorry" 

" Ugh, fine"

Harleen follows Scott down the corridors, passing through the patients, doctors, nurses, and other orderlies for the last time as an employee. Luckily for her, the story about her having sex and relationship with Arthur hasn't entirely spread throughout Arkham just yet, but it soon will be 

Some of the orderlies, doctors, and nurses that looked at Harleen were somewhat confused as to why Harleen had been fired because if anyone is being escorted by any security guards while carrying a storage box only meant one thing. However, since it wasn't any of their business and had jobs to do, they go back to what they were doing earlier

_Oh, Duncan, I may even target you when I return to break Arthur out. You've all people had a certain disdain for my Puddin ever since we first laid eyes on one another. Hehehe, just you wait. I'll be back stronger than ever with a new look and some friends to boot_ thought Harleen

Once going down an elevator to reach the ground floor and walking through several more corridors, Harleen is finally escorted outside to the car park area. Scott says his goodbyes, turned around and headed back inside

Harleen on the other hand simply smiled to herself as she made her way over to her car, placed her belongings in the boot, and then hops in the driver's seat. She starts the engine, backs out of her reserved parking spot, and starts heading towards the exit. What she didn't notice is high above in Arkham, Arthur is watching her leave from inside his cell

_See you soon Harley,_ thought Arthur while smiling down at Harleen's car leaving 


	26. Rebirth

  
It's nine-thirty in the evening on a Friday in Gotham City, a night were some of the residents start to celebrate the weekend by drinking in pubs and dancing in night clubs. However, for the now-former therapist, Harleen Quinzel, tonight will be a very different night. A life-changing event where she proves her loyalty and love by murdering Derek Hamlin in cold blood

Harleen sits in front of her mirror beside the bed in her bedroom, apply white make up to her face, her long blonde hair dangling past her shoulder blades, and dressed mostly in black clothes. She decided if tonight is the night where she sheds what's left of her former life as Harleen before embarking on her identity as Harley Quinn, she might as well do it with style

She didn't have to apply makeup to her face since Arthur never asked her too, but Harleen needed too because she just doesn't want to be the madwoman who fell in love with The Joker and be in his shadow. No. She wanted to make a name for herself, even if it means murdering people and turning to a life of crime 

Not once does Harleen contemplate at the fact she is about to literally take a life, something that always disgusted her or thought it is wrong in the past. She knows for a fact that what she is about to do is the right thing, she's getting payback on the man who broke her heart and betrayed her

_Arthur is going to be so proud of me when he learns how I killed Derek, serves the fucker right. All I ask is love, honesty, and loyalty. What does he do? Stabs me in the back by sleeping with that slut for two FUCKING years. Well, hope it was worth it,_ thought Harleen

Harleen lowers her arms and now stared at her white pale face reflected in the mirror, she gently turns her head from side to side before nodding in satisfaction

_Now, what else should I add?_

Harleen thinks back to both how Arthur looked as Joker with his make up, as well as thinking of how that idiot wannabe J Man looked with his own makeup. She knew she couldn't copy their exact styles, otherwise, her plans to stand out from the crowd of Arthur, J Man and The Jokerz would fail miserably

She then looked down at her makeup kit and collection of different colors, cautiously deciding on what combination of colors would be perfect to go with her new look. A light bulb goes off in her head, as she thought back to her first conversation with Arthur and how the Harlequin clown was brought up shortly before Arthur called Harleen by her favorite nickname, Harley

_Harlequin............yeah_ thought Harleen before smiling and nodding in satisfaction. She grabbed her red lipstick and begins applying it to her face. She remembered seeing a photo of a Harlequin dressed in red and black in some old book a couple of days ago and thought it would be perfect for her new look 

Once she finished coloring in her lips with red lipstick, she starts forming a line similar to the Glasgow Smile but only half of it on her right side going up to her cheeks. Harleen then stops what she is doing to take a look at her lips and smiled in satisfaction 

_Oh yeah, this is fucking perfect. A mix and match_

Harleen placed the red lipstick down, picks up a black color, she carefully trace a large two pointed shape over her left eye before darkening it. Her smile grew wider and wider as she grew to love her customized clownish makeup. While her choice of clothing has a lot to be desired since it's mostly black, she could easily work on it later

After all, she couldn't spend the entire night working on her makeup and attire, Harleen has a very important job to do. An ex-boyfriend to see and murder, and tonight is usually one of those nights where Derek likes to drink and party before coming back to his apartment either close to midnight or early hours of the morning

For her sake, Harleen hopes she won't have to wait too long for that asshole to show his ugly mug

Why did she decide to wear black clothing? Simple. Harleen thought for at least tonight, it would be easy for her to break into Derek's apartment, kidnap and murder him somewhere else without looking too suspicious. And even if she still did look suspicious, this is Gotham City after all, where murder and crime pretty much happens nearly every hour of every day

As for that other thing Arthur wants Harleen to do, which is to somehow break him out of Arkham State, Harleen has yet to come up with a plan. She obviously knew she would not be able to do it alone unless she became a highly trained Ninja overnight, but that isn't going to happen

However, Harleen decided not to concern herself with coming up with a plan to break out Arthur just yet and only concentrate on murdering Derek. It would be highly unwise for her to try and split her focus between the two subjects, considering one of them will forever be life-changing 

" There!" exclaimed Harleen as she finally finished her customized makeup and takes one last look at her reflection in the mirror. The miss-matched styles of her lipstick and the two-point dark over left eye along with her face covered in white makeup worked perfectly for her

Harleen tilts her head from side to side one more time before facing the front and nodding in satisfaction_ It's a working progress_

With her new look finally completed, Harleen quickly tied her hair neatly into a ponytail before getting up from her new seat, turning around and leaving her bedroom. She walked over to her dining table where she left her keys to her car and apartment, she grabs them, leaves her apartment and locked the door behind her

Harleen quickly made her way down the steps of her apartment building to avoid anyone nearby that may see her with her makeup on. She quickly reached the ground floor, turned to her left, and made her way outside where her car is. Harleen, unlocks her car, hops in, closes the door and takes off down the road

While it may prove to be very difficult for her to break out her soul mate, planning to murder her former boyfriend and getting away with it proved to be a piece of cake. Harleen remembered the number of times she spent the night at Derek's where he always kept a spare key underneath his welcome mat

Harleen will use that as well as taking Derek's prized baseball bat signed by Babe Ruth a few years ago and beat him to death. As she drove down into each intersection and turning off into empty streets, the thought of making Derek suffer while flaunting her relationship with Arthur made her smile and even laugh like a true sadist

It's become apparent that Harleen's dark side is now coming in full force and taking control, thanks to Arthur's influence and her undying devotion towards him. Once Derek is dead, Harleen will be no more and in her place will be Harley Quinn, a ruthless cold-blooded psycho, and anarchist

With her dark thoughts on making Derek suffer and beg for mercy, she also pictures Arthur sitting next to her in the passenger seat in his Joker attire and makeup on. She feels that even though they aren't physically together, she believes Arthur is with her spiritually and will guide her down this dark path she is about to undertake and cheering her on 

_I won't let you down, Mr. J._

After turning down several more streets, Harleen finally arrives at her destination but choose to park her car around the corner of Derek's apartment building. She turns off the engine, steps outside, looks around to make sure no one is wondering nearby before slamming the door shut and locking it

Harleen then causally makes her way around the corner, goes over to the building, enters inside and walks and up to six flight of stairs, since Derek resided on the sixth floor and at the end of the corridor. When she reached the sixth floor, Harleen power walked her way down to Derek's apartment before coming to a stop in front of the welcome mat

She bends down to lift the mat and as expected, the idiot still kept his spare key there You poor bastard. Harleen grabs the key, drops the mat, placed the key into the lock and unlocks the door, she opens the door, steps inside and locks the door behind her 

The layout to Derek's apartment is very similar to Harleen's, however, there are only two differences. Upon entering Derek's home, the first door on the left is his bedroom, while the kitchen is on the right side, and unlike Harleen, Derek has a balcony located in the living room

Harleen made her way into the living room, turning the lights on and looking over on her left side to where Derek kept Babe Ruth's bat which is hanging above the TV. She smirked at the weapon before making her way towards it, stepping on her tippy toes in order to reach and bring it down 

With the bat firmly in her hands, Harleen uses her right hand to rest the bat over her right shoulder as she now looked around the apartment to find a rope or something of sorts to tie Derek's hands. The search ultimately leads her into Derek's bedroom by opening up the top drawer of the bedside cabinet

To Harleen's surprise, not only does she find a set of police handcuffs, but she also finds a loaded pistol as well _Well this saves me from having to find a gun. Yoink!_ , thought Harleen as she stuffed the pistol inside one pocket while placing the handcuffs in the other

Satisfied, Harleen turns off all the lights in Derek's apartment before creeping inside his closet and sliding the doors shut. She's successfully entered the apartment, grabbed the weapons she needs to carry out the murder. All she has to do now is wait for Derek to return and wait for the right moment to strike 

  
****

At exactly Eleven o'Clock, Derek Hamlin finally arrived back to his apartment both half-drunk and oblivious to the fate that will shortly befall upon him. After unlocking his door, stepping inside and locking it again, Derek makes his way into the bedroom and turns the light on

_It's about fucking time,_ thought an impatient Harleen while hearing Derek's footsteps 

He made his way around the bed with his back turned to his closet and started to take off his business suit, failing to notice Harleen is slowly and methodically sliding the closet doors open 

" What a night," said Derek softly as he threw off his blazer and started unbuttoning his white collared shirt

_Oh, I bet. Getting shit faced with the boys and fucking whores. Too bad you'll never have the opportunity to do it again,_ thought Harleen as she takes one step forward, removing the baseball bat from her right shoulder and using both hands to hold it back

" I think I'll bring home that cute blonde from the pub tomorrow night if I see her again" pondered Derek as he finished unbuttoning his shirt and chucking it to the ground beside him 

Harleen takes another step forward, now only inches apart from her former boyfriend. Now is the time to make her move

" Oh, Derek"

As he heard a familiar voice coming from behind him but also believing because he's drunk, he casually turns around to see Harleen in her new makeup with his baseball bat, which immediately snapped him out of his stupor

Harleen smirked at Derek's reaction " Lights out bucko" she wings the bat forward, hitting the left side of her ex's head, twisting him around and knocking him out instantly, as half of Derek's body crashes on the bed while his knees hit the floor

****

"Wake up"

Derek slowly starts to stir from his slumber, his vision is blurred because sees a big black shadow standing over him and hearing a muffled voice in the background. If that isn't bad enough, not only did is the side of his head still hurting, his body started to shiver due to not having a shirt on because of the cold freezing temperatures

" Did you hear me? I said wake up"

After a couple of seconds passed by, Derek can now finally start to see properly and hear the voice talking down to him. He again sees his former girlfriend Harleen in her clownish makeup, wearing black clothes and holding his prized bat, smiling at him 

" Hiya. Did you have a nice little nap?" asked Harleen

" Har...Harley. Why are you dressed like that? Why did you hit me with my bat and where the fuck...." Derek suddenly paused as he quickly scans the area around them " Why are we at the docks?"

Derek then noticed not only is he sitting on the ground in front of Harleen but both of his hands have been handcuffed behind his back as if he had been caught doing something illegal and Harleen is an officer arresting him 

" You're not going anywhere, prick. Not, until I've had my fun" smirked Harleen while resting the bat over her right shoulder again 

Derek looked up at Harleen " Fun?" he raised one eyebrow in confusion " Have you forgotten that we've broken up?"

" No" Harleen shakes her head in reply

" If this is your idea of wanting me to take you back by doing some kinky domination, you can forget it. I can never go back to someone who's a fucking psycho" snarled Derek

Harleen scoffed " Like I want a pig like you touching me again. Not after you broke my heart and mocked my insecurities"

" Oh please, you drove me to it. Always constantly complaining and cowering because someone did this, someone did that or ' I'm not good enough for you'" he said in a mocking tone of voice

This mockery from Derek made Harleen stop smirking and forming a cold stare " FUCK YOU!" She swings the bat forward and slams it in Derek's stomach, which caused him to groan in pain

" I gave you my heart and my soul. And what do you do? You laughed at me, mocked me, and threw it back in my face. You knew about my insecurities and only pretended to care so I could fuck you. I thought you were the one, I really did. But you're not, Arthur is. Unlike you, Arthur actually gives a shit about me. He loves me" replied Harleen

Derek looked up at Harleen " So that's why you made yourself look like a cheap whore, It all makes sense now. You're really fucked up if you think a monster such as him can ever see anything in you. He'll chew you up and spit you out. You know why? You're worthless and pointless. Too much extra baggage"

Harleen swings the bat again and hitting Derek's stomach twice as hard, bruising his rips causing him a tremendous amount of pain

" Fuck, Harley!" groaned Derek

Harleen changes her target by hitting one of Derek's legs with the bat " Don't you fucking dare call me Harley again. You've lost that right when you cheated on me" she hissed

With each hit, she dishes out to Derek as he is unable to defend himself with his hands tied behind his back, while also standing over and looking down on him as if he is scum, gives Harleen tremendous boost of empowerment. For the first time, Harleen feels as if she is finally in control of her life and acting on her impulses of what she really wants to do 

" I'm not worthless and I am not pointless. I am a human being deserving to be loved and treated like a queen. Arthur or better by his real name Joker has treated me better these last few weeks than you ever did when we fucking got together" spat Harleen, hitting both of Derek's legs with the bat and nearly shattering his kneecaps

Derek groan out loud in pain before looking up at Harleen and seeing a cold maniacal gaze on a woman covered in makeup who he no longer recognized, the sweet timid soft Harleen was gone and in her place is a vengeful crazed woman. This, in turn, caused Derek to no longer act nasty and finally started to show signs of fear in his eyes

" What's happened to you, Harleen? This..... this isn't you. The woman I knew would never do something twisted as this. I can't even fucking defend myself" said Derek

" That woman you knew is gone, she died when she found out you cheated on her bozo. I'm Harley Quinn and I would say pleased to meetcha, but I find you repulsive" replied Harleen

Harleen bends down to raise and bend Derek's right leg before slamming her foot down, shattering his kneecap and breaking his leg in the process, forcing Derek to cry out in pain

_Serves you right you arrogant swine. You and everyone else has underestimated me for the last time,_ thought a now sadistic Harleen while getting off on the pain she's inflicting to Derek

Harleen sees tears running down Derek's eyes which made her smile and laugh at his suffering. She swings the bat as hard as she can at Derek's left leg and manages to break it, causing Derek even more pain 

" It's like that arcade game where you whack a Crocodile, but in this case whacking a prick" giggled Harleen

" Please.....please stop. You've...you've made your point. I'm sorry....I'm sorry" whimpered Derek

Harleen's smile grew wider " Oh, Derek. Do you really think a few bruises and broken legs will be enough to make up for what you've done to me?" she shrugs her shoulders " Maybe if you just walked away and kept your mouth shut. But you had to go and spill the beans to my boss, getting me fired and separating me from Arthur. For that, I'm going to fucking beat you to death" she gloats

" Oh, please don't. This isn't you, Harleen. Can't you see? Arthur is manipulating you and making you into something you're not. I am truly sorry for cheating and mocking you, I am. Please let me go and I'll keep my mouth shut for now on, I promise" begged Derek while trying his best to fight through the pain 

Harleen teases Derek by pretending to consider his offer by thinking intently before shaking her head and smiling at him " Nope. You've had your chance"

" I'm telling you if you do this. If you kill me right here and now, it will change you. You won't be able to take it back. Deep down, we both know it will destroy you. So please....let me go" pleaded Derek

" Sorry, Harleen Quinzel can't come to the phone right now, she's busy. But I'll happily take her place"

At that moment Harleen started repeatedly bash Derek's entire body with the baseball without remorse, his cries, his screams, and pleas for mercy only fueled Harleen's cruelty as her strikes come harder and faster. Not only is Harleen taking out her frustrations on Derek but also on every single person who's wronged and bullied her in the past

Even with his arms and hands cuffed behind his back, Harleen manages to break the bones after shattering both his legs and ribs, which now made it difficult for Derek to breathe as his body slumped to the side, covered in tears, broken bones and bruises

" I think you've suffered enough, now it's time to finish you off," said Harleen decisively, raising the bat with both hands and targeting his head

Derek just looked up at Harleen in horror, unable to mutter a response due to the amount of pain he's suffered and broken bones, saving whatever energy he has left in order to breathe

Harleen swings the bat forward and with one strike to the head, she kills Derek immediately. However, she doesn't stop with one hit. No. She continuously hits Derek's head, smashing his skull open with blood flying everywhere on the pavement, the bat, Harleen's face and clothing 

She finally stops her assault in order to catch her breath, that as well being satisfied with the carnage and brutality she's inflicted on her former lover

_I did it, it's finally over. Wait.....,_ paused Harleen in mid-thought, turning around to face Derek's car, since she thought it would be a better idea to use his than her own car to carry out her revenge 

_It's not over yet. I still need to destroy his car and this shell in front of me, only then will I truly be free_

Harleen drops the baseball bat, uncuffs Derek by the shoulders and drags him by the legs over to the car. Once there, she opens the back door, slowly but surely she manages to lift up Derek's body and placed it in the back seat along with the handcuffs

She closes the door, walks over to the front door, opens it, turns on the engine, and presses a button to open the car bonnet. Harleen then closes the front door, walked back over to where she beat Derek to death, takes out the pistol and aimed it at the engine

Harleen fires the pistol, missing the engine twice before finally hitting it on the third go which caused the car to explode and burst into flames. From there, Harleen collapses to her knees, drops the pistol, raised both her hands as if she made a sacrificial offering to the Gods

At first, she stares into the fire laughing because she finally had her revenge on Derek and proving both her love and loyalty to Arthur, but her laughter soon turned to cries because she sees the old her dying within those flames, and being born anew 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I sound like a broken record but I did have every intention of continuing and finishing off this story, but it's the truth. The only major problem I had is getting my mojo or being in that writing mood. Ya know? It's not a writer's block. I know full well what I want for each chapter, but it's like every time I tried writing this, It didn't feel right at that time. Other than that, I still have fun writing this beauty. However, I really do appreciate and thank everyone for giving me your positive comments, kudos, and bookmarks. Especially the bookmarks, biggest I've ever gotten lol. Everything you guys give me has always inspired and given me the push forward I needed and finally, 100% got it back


	27. Gary

The deed has been done, the last link to Harleen Quinzel's former life has been destroyed forever with the brutal murder of Derek Hamlin, as well as Harleen herself but more on a spiritual and psychological level. As Derek's car burst into flames and destroying what's left of his body, Harleen had been reborn anew as Harley Quinn, Arthur/Joker's girlfriend and an agent of chaos

Harley Quinn wondered down the near-empty streets of Gotham City while making her way back to where she parked her car. No longer was her face covered in makeup, since most of it had started to be wiped away due to sweat when beating Derek to death, and the fact parts of Derek's blood were splatted over her face

She couldn't afford to be caught with murder at this stage of the game since Harley still had to figure out how she's going to break Joker out from Arkham State. Even when she dragged Derek over to the docks, Harley made sure no homeless people or any drug addicts were lurking around and with the possibility of them seeing her kill her former boyfriend

Luckily for her, no one was around. However, that won't stop anyone living in apartment blocks nearby from alerting the GCPD when they see a big black smoke erupting over at the docks. It didn't bother Harley though because she is nowhere near to be found in the area now 

Harley lightly hummed to herself while resting the baseball bat over her right shoulder and started to smile as police sirens and fire truck engines were roaring in the background of Gotham, desperately making their way over to the docks as fast as they can 

_Good luck trying to find any evidence on me bozos,_ thought a smug Harley as she turned towards her left and crossed the street

When she collapsed in front of the burning car and staring into the flames, Harley truly believed she saw the old her - a sniveling pathetic naive goody two shoes, Harleen Quinzel, dying within those flames, and in Harleen's place is a strong, ruthless, confident, psychotic anarchist looking to terrorize the city with her soulmate

In the past, Harleen would never resort to murder believing it was wrong and something you should never do unless you were backed into a corner with no choice, is now a welcoming sight to Harley. She'll murder anyone she likes and will sleep with two eyes closed, not giving a fuck if it's right or wrong

Harley's smile grew wider remembering the terrified look on Derek's face just minutes ago, with his pathetic pleas for mercy going unheard. It felt really good for Harley to let out all of her frustrations on the man she used to love who ended up cheating on her with another woman. What made this even more frightening is not only did Harley take her frustrations out on Derek, she also pictured every person who crossed and made fun of her, and took her anger and frustrations out on them as well 

_I finally understand how Arthur felt when he took on the persona or his real personality I should say as Joker. To be free from the rules of civilization, law and order, morals and ethics, and just doing whatever the fuck you wanted too because you can. Hehe_

As Harley makes her way down several streets, she pictures herself standing next to Arthur in his Joker persona, watching Gotham tearing itself apart, burning to its knees in front of them and laughing all the way while expressing their love for one another. To this reborn woman with the bat over her shoulder, it is a beautiful thought 

However, as happy and smug Harley currently is at the moment, killing Derek and removing the last trace of her former life was the easiest part. Now the hard part comes. Somehow she has to successfully infiltrate Arkham State and help Arthur escape. That is going to be no easy task, considering Arthur's room is on the 6th floor and they did employ security guards

This thought made Harley stop smiling as she begins to seriously think how the hell she is going to pull it off. She instantly knew by going at it alone is very foolish, risky and would be over before it even begins, she will need help if she is to be successful

But how? It's not like Arthur and Harley have any friends in Gotham that would be more than willing to help them

_Not to mention that by the time I'm back at Arkham and whether or not I'll have back up, we'll only have a short time to retrieve Mr. J, before those pigs finished stuffing their faces with donuts and arrive on the scene,_ thought Harley as she turned down to a street on her right

If all else fails and Harley has to go at it alone, she will and do her best to save her soulmate, even if it means just constantly shooting anyone in her path. But that would only be a last resort, she wanted to make sure she had at least tried to have come up with a way to gain allies in her quest for chaos 

As the wheels start to turn in Harley's twisted and broken mind, she reached an epiphany that made her stop walking and stand in front of a long alleyway

_Wait a minute. Of course! How could I not have seen it earlier? The answer was there in front of me the entire time. I could use The Jokerz to help me break Mr. J out from Arkham. They are madly devoted to their idol after all_

From the corner of her eye over on her right, Harley turned her head to look up at an old purple spray paint which read - The Jokerz with ha ha ha's all around it. This thought and seeing the spray paint caused Harley to smile once again 

_Yes! They will be perfect pawns for my plans. Although, I'm not sure if J Man will like being bossed around by me, too bad. He'll either have to get with the program or end up like poor old Derek,_ thought a very smug Harley, as she started making her way down the alleyway triumphantly

Harley continued humming lightly to herself while walking down the alleyway, passing by both filled or empty dumpster skips and puddles of water. In the distance, she sees two men nearby, both dressed in dark clothing with long trench coats but with one of the two men slightly taller than the other

The two men in question both see Harley about to pass them, the tallest of the two named Fred smirked at Harley as he turned around to face Joker's girlfriend. Fred had short black hair, blue eyes, and an arrogant personality. Between him and his friend, Trent, Fred calls the shots

Trent had messy ginger hair that went down to his shoulder blades and sporting a goatee

" Well, well, well. Look at what we have here, Trent. A beautiful woman wandering alone all by herself in the dead of night" smirked Fred as he approached Harley

Trent chuckled " Are you lost or something?" he asked Harley while standing beside Fred

Harley stopped walking and smiled at the two men " No, I'm not lost. I'm just casually going on a stroll. Can't sleep, so I thought this would be a good way to clear my head" she said innocently, pretending to play along with these idiots who think they are about to make her their next victim 

" At this time of night? You must be really brave" praised Fred but there is no sincerity in his voice

Fred and Trent spotted Harley brandishing her baseball bat over her shoulder but thought nothing of it, as they believed they would be able to easily overpower the woman and have their way with her

" Either that or really stupid. You do realize were your living in, right?" asked Trent

" Yeah, Gotham City. The city is controlled by criminals and corrupted officials" answered Harley with a smile on her face

Fred smiled at Harley " You say you can't sleep, right? Needing to empty your thoughts?"

" Uh-huh" replied Harley with a gentle nod of her head

" How about we have some fun" 

Harley smiled at Fred " What kinda fun?"

Fred didn't say anything in reply, instead, he looked at Harley from head to toe and indicating sexual activity with her

" Sorry, as fun as that sounds. I'm already taken. You two go play with yourselves thinking of me though" suggested Harley. She tries walking past Fred but only for Fred to grab her by the shoulder and push her back

" It wasn't a suggestion. This is our neighborhood and you have to pay a toll if you want to pass through these parts. I bet you go off like a firecracker" said Trent with a chuckle

Harley looked at the two sleazy men in front of her " And if I refuse?" she asked them

" If you refuse? Well, we'll still gonna fuck you. But after that?" Fred takes out a large knife from his pocket and holds it for Harley to see, indicated she'll either get killed or just be stabbed

" Is that so" nodded Harley while keeping her eyes on Fred's large knife. She secretly slides her left hand down to grab and pull out the pistol in her left pocket

_I was wondering when we're going to get to the fun part,_ wondered Harley as she kept smiling at the men

" You have until the count of three to comply or else" threatened Trent

" One.........."

Harley reaches for her pistol with her fingers on the trigger

" Two........."

" Thre.."

Harley quickly pulls out her pistol and shoots Trent dead in the head, stunning Fred momentarily as he turned his attention away from Harley to see his now dead friend collapsing down onto the pavement

With Fred's attention on his fallen friend, Harley quickly shoots Fred's hand with the knife forcing him to drop the blade, hold his hand and cry out in pain. Harley doesn't stop there though, she placed the pistol back in her pocket, uses both hands to grasp the baseball bat and swings it hard, hitting Fred's chest

Fred groans and nearly kneels over. However, Harley swings her bat again, this time hitting Fred across the face, which knocks him out instantly, spins body around and falls flat to the pavement on his stomach

Harley smiled proudly at her handiwork " Well, that was fun" she walks over the two men and continued on walking down the alleyway until finally leaving it. She crossed over to the next street, turned right and crossed over again to Gotham Central Park

She enters the park with the baseball bat resting over her right shoulder again and following the footpath, knowing that as soon she reaches the other side of Gotham Central, it will only take her at least fifteen minutes to finally reach her vehicle

Unlike her recent encounter with Fred and Trent, the only people wondering nearby in the park where homeless people who were either drunk or finding a place to sleep. Some of them saw Harley passing them by but pay no heed to her

_Just you wait, soon Gotham will cower in fear at the hands of Joker and his beautiful and equally twisted soul mate, Harley Quinn. Haha. Nothing will ever be the same again,_ thought Harley, as she ventured through the park

Police sirens were again in the background with Harley seeing two of the cars over on her right side at the far end of the park driving by, this made her smile grew wider at the possibility that either the GCPD are returning to base or found the bodies of Trent and Fred, and were out looking for her

As fun as the thought of her being chased throughout the night, Harley decided to play it safe, knowing she still had work to do. She does this by untying her hair, letting it drop pass her shoulder blades before pushing it behind her shoulders. If someone were lucky enough to see Harley shoot Trent and Fred, they would have seen her with her hair in a ponytail

Harley carries on strolling through the park, her thoughts returned to using The Jokerz to help her break Arthur out of Arkham State, and whether or not she would need to kill J Man to become the new temporary boss of the group, until Arthur is ready

_I could try and find where those morons are right now, and if they are lurking about. But I think it would be for the best if I left that either tomorrow night or sometime next week. Besides, all this killing is making me hungry and tired_

After twenty minutes of making her way through Gotham Central, Harley finally reaches the other side and luckily for her, she sees one open food stand nearby with its owner getting ready to close for the night and quickly rushes over to it, while her tummy rumbles and begging to be filled

" Wait wait wait. Don't close just yet" 

The owner of the food stand, a man in his mid-fifties looked at Harley " Better make it quick then" he suggested

Harley's eyes quickly scanned down the food menu until finally seeing something she wanted " Double cheeseburger, please" she said softly

" Alright" the owner turns around and gets set on grilling the meat patties " Looks like you came just in time," he remarked

" I'll say, I was afraid I would have to wait until I get home" replied Harley while watching the owner cook her meal

" Working late, I see"

Harley lightly nodded her head " Something like that, yeah. I'm just now on my way home" she said softly

" Be careful out there, too many scumbags wander around at this time of night" replied the owner

" That's why I'm carrying the bat around," said Harley with a smile

The owner half turned his body to view the baseball bat with red stains on it " Already cracked a few skulls in I see" he joked before turning around to flip the meat patties

Harley's eyes glance at the dried red blood now on her bat_ Ahh shit_ " Yep, you can never be too careful in Gotham"

" Amen to that, especially with that sideshow group The Jokerz running around. Crazy bastards, the lot of em" replied the owner

Harley smiled " Pathetic wannabes is all they are"

" Heh, the sooner those clowns are either locked up with that other freak Joker or killed, the better," said the owner as he begins putting the meat on the buns and filling it with cheese, lettuce, and sauce

_You're lucky I don't come over there and bash your brains in for saying that about my puddin,_ thought Harley while preparing to take out her wallet and money from the right pocket of her pants

" Alright" the owner packed the double cheeseburger into a medium-sized wrapper and turns around " That'll be $4.50"

Harley hands the owner over five bucks " Keep the change" she tells him

The owner hands over the burger with one hand and uses his free hand to grab five bucks from Harley " Stay safe out there"

" I will" replied Harley, she grabs the burger with her left hand, takes one bite and continues her journey back to her car

Harley crossed the road and turned into another empty street, while also enjoying her double cheeseburger_ Gotta love cheeseburgers, they are so good._ She no longer concerned herself with forming an alliance with the Jokerz to help Arthur, instead, she chooses to focus her remaining energy on enjoying her burger, returning to her car and heading home

As she went to turn down a street over on her right and with her eyes on everything that's not in front of her, she accidentally bumps into Gary - Arthur's former co-worker and perhaps the only friend Arthur ever had at The Ha Ha Ha Clown's For Hire Agency

" Watch it, ma'am," said Gary as he takes a step back and looked up at Harley

Harley lowered her now half-eaten burger to look for the source of the noise, not noticing that Gary is a dwarf " Huh?" she turned her head from side to side but didn't see anyone nearby

" Down here, ma'am" Gary started to click his fingers as a way to get Harley's attention 

It didn't take long for Harley to catch on to the noise and find Gary at the length of her legs " Oh, sorry there. I was too focused on my delicious burger and not seeing where I was going" she said with a smile

" Maybe if you weren't too concerned with eating you would have seen me right away, but that's ok. No harm is done. Have a nice night" said Gary as he started making his way past Harley 

A light bulb goes on in Harley's head as she thought back to Arthur's file which briefly mentioned a small man he used to work with and the only one who was ever nice to him. She turns around to face Gary

" Is your name Gary?"

Gary stopped walking and turned to face and look up at Harley again " Who wants to know?"

Harley smiles at Gary places her burger in her right hand along with the baseball bat and outstretches her left arm and hand for Gary to shake " Hiya, I'm Harleen Quinzel. Arthur Fleck's psychologist at Arkham State. Arthur's told me a lot about you" she lied about that last part

" Oh, uh. How is Arthur anyway?" asked Gary as he extends his right hand and shakes Harley's

" He's doing really well compared to his mental breakdown last year that caused him to ...you know what" answered Harley before letting go of Gary's hand and taking another bite into her burger

" Yeah" Gary nods his head " I still can't get over what he did. Killing those people, starting a movement that leads to multiple riots. But I don't blame him for what he did, he was always picked on and made fun off, just because he was different and had a condition. Arthur was a really nice guy who viewed me as a normal human being and never made fun of me, unlike our other co-workers including Randal" his shoulders shiver at the memory of Arthur brutally slamming Randal's head against the wall inside his apartment

" I've heard a lot about Randal and what he did to Arthur. Fucking scumbag if you ask me" hissed Harley

" Mmm. Well, it was nice meeting you Ms. Quinzel but I'm tired after having a few drinks with my mates and right now I just want to go home and go to sleep"

" You and me both, I'm heading home myself. You want a lift?" offered Harley

Gary shakes his head " No, thank you. I just live around the corner. Take care, yeah" he turns around and started walking away from Harley again 

" I think Arthur would very much appreciate it, if you popped in for a visit" suggested Harley while watching Gary walk away from her

_We'd both appreciate it_

Gary stopped again but still had his back turned to Harley. Even though he was horrified at Arthur's brutality towards Randal, he knew deep down Arthur was still a good person and always considered the thought of dropping into Arkham to visit Arthur but always backed out at the last second

" I might just do that, good night Ms. Quinzel" 

Gary then continued walking until he completely disappeared around the corner and out of Harley's sight. Harley turns around and carried on walking to her destination, while also finishing off her burger

_What a night it's been. Two killings, knocking out a bozo, buying a yummy double cheeseburger, and running into Arthur's old buddy. So much happened in just a short amount of time. If it's like this now, I wonder how things will be when I track down and confront The Jokerz,_ thought an excited Harley

Fifteen minutes later and with her burger finished, Harley finally arrived back to her car which is parked around the corner of the apartment building where Derek used to live. She unlocks the car, places her baseball bat in the back seat, shuts the door and hops into the driver's seat

Harley turns on the engine, turns her car into reverse before swiftly turning her vehicle around and starts to make her way back to her apartment for a well-earned rest after tonight's events 


	28. Reunion

A nervous Gary patiently waits for Arthur in the visitor center of Arkham State, he looks around at the dark yellow bricks and tiles, feeling more and more uneasy with himself. _How depressing_ he thought. No light colors were visible or any sense of character within the Asylum, just dull dark colors as if being locked up as a patient wasn't bad enough. They had to make sure the place is miserable as possible

Even when Gary made his first few steps over to the reception area, seeing some of the patients muttering to their doctors, staring off into space, or staring at him very oddly was almost enough to make Gary turn around and leave this awful place. However, as anxious as he is, he did still genuinely care about Arthur's wellbeing even after he snapped and brutally killed Randall in front of him. Gary wanted to know if Arthur was getting any better and finally having the compassion and understanding he strived for  
  
Gary starts to have flashes of Arthur stabbing Randall in the neck and in his eye before grabbing his head and repeatedly bash it to the wall. The thumping sounds of flesh hitting the wall, blood flying everything in the apartment and that demonic unrepenting look Arthur showed when bashing Randall's skull in

_Arthur. NO! Wha........Why?_

He shivers at the memory before straightening his jacket. As much as he hated Randall for bullying him, Arthur and whoever else he liked to pick on, Gary knew sooner or later that karma was going to pay the bastard back at some point. He didn't like or agree with Arthur's actions but Gary knew in some twisted way Randall deserved every bit of it

Arthur had a lot of demons running around his head, enough to make him look like a freak and an outcast, that along with his rare condition of constantly laughing that sometimes nearly made him choke to death. But, deep down, Gary knew Arthur is a good person, a kind and gentle soul underneath all the weight of depression and misery

Which is why Gary had no problem in seeing Arthur as a normal human being and treating him with kindness and respect. After all, who is he or anyone else to judge for how Arthur acted in society? Everyone has a story and a reason for acting as they are in public, and whether or not they want to share it with people they can trust

Gary himself suffered from Dwarfism which made it very easy to become a target for people like Randall to bully, but unlike Arthur, Gary had a reasonable upbringing that made it easy for him to rise above the nasty name callings. He even genuinely saw Arthur as a friend at one point and knew deep down Arthur felt the same

But now? With what Arthur has done with mass killings, riots, and the creation of The Jokerz? Gary doesn't really know what to make of it. All he wants from this visit is to see that the Arthur he knew is still there and not lost within his new persona as The Joker, a monster or the Devil incarnate as the media portrayed him to be

Gary then starts to think about his encounter with Harleen Quinzel the other night and how she told him that Arthur is making great progress with his treatment

_Maybe things will be different now. With a beautiful woman like that helping him, Arthur may finally be ok and put his demons to rest forever. Well, one can only hope,_ thought a hopeful Gary while still waiting for Arthur to arrive

He breathes in deeply and then lets it out, while silently counting to ten in his head as a way for him to get his nerves under control and be relaxed. It wasn't seeing Arthur again that's making Gary very scared, it's just being in an Asylum that's terrifying. Other than dying, of course, Gary thought there is nothing worse than being locked up in a madhouse

Especially with some of those stories with people were wrongly locked up and were either later released or ended up going insane. Scary stuff. Scary stuff indeed

The doors to the visitor center swing open and in comes Arthur Fleck being escorted by not one but three orderlies, it was almost as if Gary is visiting Arthur in jail instead of an Asylum

" Gary!" exclaimed Arthur as he noticed Gary in the fourth row down of the room

Gary turned his head to see Arthur standing in front of the doorway with two orderlies beside him while the third stands behind him

" Hey Arthur, long time no see"

" Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise" replied Arthur as he started making his way over towards the table where Gary is sitting in

" It's been a while hasn't it, mate"

" Nine months to be exact"

Arthur walked over to the opposite end of the table from where Gary is sitting

" Alright, you've got fifteen minutes. No funny business Arthur, especially now that you're girlfriend is gone" mocked one of the orderlies before he and the others turned around to make their way over to guard the door

Gary looked at Arthur and smiled " You've got a girlfriend?"

" Sort of" nodded Arthur nonchalantly

" That's wonderful, mate. Good for you" said Gary solemnly

Arthur smiled at Gary " Thank you, it's early days but things are looking good for me and her"

Gary said nothing and just smiled back, once again he started to get nervous as he felt his heart racing in his stomach. This made him turn away from Arthur and sigh in frustration 

_Come on. You're better than this, you can do this. It's only 15 fucking minutes_

" Everything ok, Gary? You look a little nervous. I already told you that I have no ill will against you when I killed that bald-headed prick. You were the only one who was ever nice to me" Arthur leaned forward and smiled at the little man " Besides, even if I did then those three over there would stop me in a matter of seconds"

Gary lightly nods his head " Yeah, I know. It's just this place. It gives me the creeps" he replied while looking back at his friend as he finally started to relax a little bit

Arthur leaned back in his chair, looked from left to right and then up at the ceiling " Oh I don't know, this place isn't actually that bad if you give it a chance. Quite frankly, I find Arkham the sanest place on Earth compared to what's out there"

" What do you mean by that?" asked Gary

Arthur looked back at Gary and smiled once more " I mean that unlike in here where everyone is open and honest about who they are, the people living out there in Gotham or the world for that matter is not. People pretending to be something they are not while trying to either fight or control their impulses for self-gain. Then there's the criminals who just don't give a fuck. Everyone is evil, twisted and insane"

As Gary looked into Arthur's eyes and seeing that grin which he viewed as very creepy and not warm or sincere as his other smiles are usually are, he also felt a chill running down his spine when he heard Arthur's views on the world and Arkham

It's like he is seeing a small piece of the Arthur he knew but within another person's body, like when he appeared on Murray Franklin's show and being introduced as Joker or when he brutally killed Randall right in front of him. Gary could barely recognize Arthur with how he carried himself 

" So you don't think anyone is sane or good in the world, Arthur?"

Arthur's smile grew wider when Gary asked him that " There are good people, mate. Only two good people left in this cold dark miserable cesspool of chaos and destruction. You, and my girlfriend Harley Quinn"

_Harley Quinn? That almost sounds similar to that lady, Harleen Quinzell. Harley......Harleen_ thought Gary. His eyes widen in shock as he makes the connection that the woman he saw in the streets, Harleen Quinzell is Harley Quinn, Arthur's girlfriend

" Wait a minute, Arthur. You mean to tell me, that Harleen Quinzel.......you're doctor is your girlfriend?" asked Gary

Gary's mentioning of Harleen takes Arthur back by surprise, not expecting Gary to know her especially now that she's been fired and hasn't seen her in three days. He suspected Harleen knew of Gary by reading his file and comments about him from the other psychologists, but he didn't think that they actually knew each other

" You know Harley?" countered Arthur 

Gary looked at Arthur and nods " Very briefly though, we bumped into each other on Friday night last week. I was heading home after having a few drinks and she was carrying a baseball bat over her shoulder in one hand with a cheeseburger in the other, dressed in black clothes" he explained

_Late night. Baseball bat. Black clothes. What was she up to I wonder,_ thought Arthur

" That's great. She's a beautiful woman isn't she?"

" Very lovely lady, very warm and inviting," remarked Gary

" Yeah, she was my doctor for a few weeks. Maybe a month or three. Who knows. But unlike the others, we really made a deep connection, not just on a spiritual and emotional level, but a psychological one as well. She understood me, she treated me with kindness and respect as you did. We made great progress and there was a slim chance I may walk out of here but then we fell in love and got caught. She's barred from ever setting foot in here"

Gary leans back in his chair and tries to be sympathetic towards his old friend " Sorry to hear that mate"

He could instantly tell from the way he spoke about Harleen, he is in love with Harleen and deeply cared about her, just as Harleen did when briefly hearing her speak about him

" Don't be. Not to sound ungrateful but why did you come? Why now?" asked Arthur

" To tell you the truth, I've thought about visiting you for a while now. I didn't like or 100% agreed with what you did to Randall, but I still consider you as a friend and knew deep down the Arthur I knew still exists. And he does, but with a whole new attitude. It was my meeting with Harley that finally prompted me to make that next step and arrange this visit, even though this place gives me the creeps" explained Gary

Arthur chuckled in response " Well, I appreciate you being here. I really do. Thank you"

" I'm glad I came" smiled Gary " And If you like, I'll keep coming if you want me too"

Arthur smiles and nods " I'd like that. But I don't think I'll be here much longer, there's a chance I may still walk free with my progress" he replied

" Really? But how?"

Arthur's smile grew wider again " Just think of it as a hunch, Gary"

He starts to piece together of how Harleen met Gary, what she was wearing and holding in her hands, along with overhearing from either the orderlies or doctors, that there were two murders including a fire at the docks 

_She actually went through it. I had my doubts on whether or not Harley would have the courage to do what is necessary to remove the last trace of her former life, in order to start a new one with me. Harley proved me wrong. She must have. Otherwise why else would she be dressed in black and wandering the streets with a bat,_ thought Arthur proudly

_That means I should expect her to return to break me out any day now_

Arthur snaps out of his thoughts by shaking his head " That's enough about me. What's new with you. Are you still working at Haha's?"

" Yep, still working there. Although I am trying to look for work elsewhere, just feel like it's time for a change of scenery"

" Hoyt still in charge?" asked Arthur but his tone is cold, as he still feels a great deal of hatred and resentment towards his former boss for never believing his stories of being mugged and picked on, as well as just generally treating him like shit 

" Yeah, Hoyt is still in charge" confirmed Gary

Arthur folds his arms across his chest " That's interesting, considering Mayor Hamilton banned anything clown related because of what I've done"

" It's Gotham, Arthur. No one really listens to the rules nor expects anyone to really abide by them. I mean look at that street gang, The Jokerz. They don't listen. But I'll tell you this, business is bad. Not many are looking to hire clowns these days. More than likely Hoyt has connections that allow him to keep his business afoot, otherwise, the mayor would have closed it already" said Gary

" In case if your wondering, no. I did not start The Jokerz or run them from all the way in here. They are just die-hard fans of mine that want to make me proud" assumed Arthur, as he believed Gary thought Arthur being the mastermind behind the Jokerz was going through his mind

Gary shakes his head " Actually, the thought never occurred to me. But good to know, I suppose" he then turned his attention away from Arthur and down at the table, not sure on what to say next

" When I get out of here, we should have a drink at the 'old' pub. You, me, and Harley. Good friends having a laugh" suggested Arthur even though he had no intentions of living a normal life once Harleen breaks him out

Gary lifted his head and looked at Arthur again " That sounds great, mate. What about the others?"

" Fuck the others, I don't give a fuck what people think about me. If people still fear me out there, that gives me power, and having power is a useful tool in Gotham. I stopped caring what others think a long time ago" he said solemnly

" Suppose you're right. You do look a lot better than when I last saw you. Confident, strong and energetic" remarked Gary

Arthur smiled at Gary " Having a breakdown can have that effect if your someone like me, I tell you it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Finally breaking free from the shackles of morals, ethics, right and wrong. Just being me and being damn proud of it"

" The old me was weak and pathetic, it had to go in order for me to be reborn. No longer will anyone make a fool out or dare mess with me ever again!"

Gary started to feel slightly unease again when listening to Arthur's beliefs and showing no signs of remorse or guilt for his crimes last year. While he is pleased to have seen glimpses of the old Arthur resurface with their conversation today, something tells him that if Arthur does indeed get released from Arkham he'll continue his chaotic spree

_Perhaps it would be best to never see him again. But shouldn't I give him the benefit of doubt?_ questioned Gary

" That's great" Gary looked down at his wristwatch and noticing their time is almost up " Is that the time already? Fucking hell, time flies when we're having fun. I better be heading off now, places to be and people to see on my day off"

" Thank you for making the effort to get here and see me, Gary. I appreciate your friendship and loyalty. Perhaps we'll bump into each other again very soon when I'm released" replied Arthur as he gets off his chair, stands up and moves over to his left

Gary also gets off from his chair " Fingers crossed, aye" he stands over to Arthur's left, lifted up his arm and extended his hand " Best of luck in getting out of here" believing Arthur will never be released from Arkham despite the man's claims

" Best of luck to you in finding a new job" Arthur lowers his arm and shakes Gary's hand. The orderlies walk over to him and escort Arthur out of the visitor center, while Gary watches on_ Goodbye, Arthur_


	29. It's Showtime

" Finally done!" proclaimed Harley as she stared at her reflection in a mirror inside her bathroom. She had just finished dying her hair into not one but two separate colors, one her right side is a dark red shade color, while over on her left she has a dark black shade color which will go nicely with her new customized clothes she had spent three days working on

Harley gently tilted her head from side to side to get a proper look at her hair before nodding in satisfaction _Perfect! Puddin is gonna love the new me. I just know it_. She turns the light off in her bathroom before stepping back into her bedroom and taking three steps over to her bed where her new clothes laid

After that night of murdering Derek, feeling she had been reborn and meeting Gary, Harley went around to the most expensive clothing stores in Gotham to get a mix of red and black to go along with her make up, as well as when she also thought at that time it would be great to change her natural blonde hair into red and black as well

In the beginning, it was tough for Harley to even plan out what she wanted with her new suit, but it didn't take long to come up with an idea of mix and matching both red and black together to go with her new identity. Plus ripping off pieces of expensive designer shirts, pants, and jackets as well as stitching and combining them wasn't too difficult for Harley to do, since she had been taught how to knit, stitch and make her own clothes from her grandmother as well as taking it in class back in high school

Harley smiled proudly at her customized clothes despite the fact she had yet to put them on, but just wanted to admire them from a distance _I'll show The Jokerz what style is all about_

She starts by simply putting on a simple black tank top, followed by her customized red and black pants with the black color on her right side and the red color on the left side. Harley then places her red and black striped socks on both feet before putting on new steel cap black boots

Harley wasn't at all too fussed with her boots only having one color, since she was more concerned with her choice in makeup, dying her hair, as well as making her own clothes. She then puts on her customized red and black jacket with the red color on her right side with the black color on her left side

_And now for the makeup_

Harley walked over to the left side of the bed and sat down in front of the mirror with her already opened makeup kit and went to work on applying the same set as she did three nights ago. While cautiously and carefully making her face pale white, Harley's eyes shot glances up to her hair and the parts of her clothes she could see in her reflection

This prompts the gleeful vixen to smile with pride once more, knowing she had done all of this on her own. Arthur may have given her encouragement and possibly spiritual guidance on how to become Harley Quinn, but it is Harley and Harley alone that had taken the necessary steps to break out of her shell, remove the last link to her former pathetic little life and create a new look for herself

_I can just see it now. Mr. J smiling at me with pride and approval before taking me into his arms, staring with those big beautiful green emerald eyes into mine before planting me with a kiss,_ sighed Harley happily while thinking about her next meeting with Arthur 

She could almost hardly wait to be reunited with her one true love, she even tempted herself into going into Arkham State alone and break Arthur out herself. If she managed to actually pull it off, not only would Arthur be very pleased but will make her stand out from both Arthur and the Jokerz. It will get her name, Harley Quinn, in the spotlight and on the front page of every article newspaper in this stinking city

_Maybe even the world for that matter_

However, as tempted as that possibility is, Harley wasn't dumb. She knew if she went in alone she would have a 1 % chance of actually breaking Arthur out and going on the run with him. Going in alone when you're not fully prepared is very foolish. Most likely Harley would be captured during the mission and she knew that

So, instead of giving into that fantasy and temptation, Harley decides it would be in her best interest as well as Arthur's to seeking out The Jokerz and forming an alliance with them. She knew they would not pass up the opportunity to actually help and impress their idol by breaking him out of Arkham

But will J Man be inclined? That is the six million dollar question. Harley knew J Man claimed to be Arthur's biggest supporter judging by how similar he made himself to Arthur's Joker attire but only changing a few colors around. She also suspected J Man enjoyed being in control of his little possie and wouldn't give up his power without a fight

_Eh, fuck him. If it comes down to me and that doofus, I'll fucking kill him and take charge. Actually! Killing J Man in front of the rest of The Jokerz would be a perfect way to show them who's boss. At least until Arthur is Joker again and takes over_

After finally covering her face in white makeup again, Harley gets set to work on her red lipstick forming that miss-matched Glasgow Smile on her right side, and then start forming the large two pointed dark shape over her left eye

Harley truly believes this is who she is always meant to be, a rebellious fun-loving anarchist with a bit of murder thrown into the mix. Not once does she take a step back to realize or even consider what she had done and what she is planning to do is beyond wrong. She just doesn't give a crap anymore, she feels she has been set free from the binds of morals and ethics

She's just doing it because she wants too and if her old life as Harleen Quinzel had something to say about this drastic change in her attitude, looks, and personality. Harley knew Harleen wouldn't stand for it, she would whine, complain, give herself lectures on how this is all so wrong, and shouldn't be doing it. Blah blah blah

Luckily for her, Harleen died in the fire along with Derek's body never to be seen or heard from again. All that is left in this vessel is Harley Quinn, Harleen's dark personality who is 100% devoted to Arthur/Joker and living a life of crime, murder, and mayhem

Even before meeting Arthur, Harley knew Gotham was starting to crumble due to its history of crime and corruption which went from the petty low lives of Gotham's citizens either in low-income households or above average to all the way into elected officials and police departments

Gotham has the worst reputation of being the unsafest city to live or even visit in not only the country but also in the world. It may look decent on the outside, but on the inside, it's just downright ugly. Once Harley is reunited with Joker, she believes it would be their duty to set the whole town on fire and watch it burn to ashes

_Done!_

At last, Harley has finally finished working on her makeup. She now stands to her feet, pushes the chair out of her way, takes a few steps back to get a proper look at herself and brushes her hair back behind her shoulder blades

_Hair, check!_

_Makeup, check!_

_Clothes, check_

Harley nods her head in satisfaction " I'm ready". She proceeds to turn around and leave the bedroom, however, she stops in the doorway realizing she has forgotten the two most import things she will need if tonight is going to be a success

" Oopsie"

Harley turns around and walked over the bedside table on the right side, opens up the first draw to grab her pistol and placing it inside the hidden pocket of her jacket. She then turned to her left and opened up her closet to bring out her baseball bat and sling it over her right shoulder

_Ok, now I'm ready_

Harley swiftly walked out of her bedroom, over to the dining table where her keys laid on top, and grabs them. She turned and went straight for her door, deciding to leave almost all the lights in her apartment on before opening the door, stepping out and both closing and locking the door

Once done, Harley proceeds to make her way down the steps, leave her apartment building, and over to her car. She unlocks her car, opens the door, sits in the driver seat, and placed her baseball bat in the passenger seat next to her. Harley closes her door, placed her key into the hole and turned on the ignition

Harley adjusts the rearview mirror above her so she can look at her own reflection before smiling again " It's showtime folks"

She starts her vehicle and takes off into the night, ready to face her biggest challenge. Killing Derek was easy and convincing The Jokerz to help her break out Arthur would also probably be easy. However, finding out the exact hideout of where those street punks operate will prove to be no easy feet

Harley's best bet would have to hope and pray while she's searching high and low down all the streets in Gotham City that she comes across the Jokerz lurking around, hunting their next victim or victims. It's been a while since they were last seen during the attack/protest outside of Arkham, so maybe they have finally crawled out whatever rock they were hiding in 

In order for her plans to succeed, Harley needs to be able to see those clowns lurking in the streets because otherwise, it will be next to impossible for her to know the Jokerz's hideout and to be able to form an alliance with them 

Harley drives at a reasonably slow pace, which gives her enough time to be able to turn her head from left to right so she can scan the area around her like a hunter finding it's next prey, while also making sure to look back out in front

_If it takes me a few nights then so be it, but I hope it won't come down to that. I better fucking see you clowns tonight or else,_ thought a very determined but also slightly frustrated Harley

After scanning one street with no sign of the degenerate street gang, Harley turned her attention back to the front and drove on straight through instead of turning down either the left or right side, deciding to try something new for a change

Harley again looks from left to right, even making sure to stop and turn into alleyways where there's enough room for any vehicle to drive down in. She still couldn't see any sign of them except for The Jokerz trademark purple spray paint with their initials on the brick walls

_The only good thing about not having a job is I can sleep whenever I want. It certainly helps when I'm out nearly all night doing shit like this so I can be with Arthur again. Otherwise, my sleeping patterns would be beyond fucked up_

Harley turned left in order to exit the alleyway and continue her search on the streets once again. With each street she turned down into along with alleyways she can drive down in, they all turned up with the same exact answer, nothing

There is still no sign of the Jokerz which started to piss off the vixen because it would mean more driving and looking around like a complete idiot. Despite coming up short and becoming frustrated, this does little to deter Harley's resolve into finding them

Harley does the same routine of turning her head, scanning the area, and stopping nearby where she could see alleyways nearby and whether or not she's able to drive down them in. If she can't, she quickly parked her car and stands at the entrance. Still no sign of them, she turns around, gets back in her vehicle and drives off again 

_Perhaps they are still in hiding after what happened at Arkham,_ thought Harley. This thought made her growl in frustration for not being able to find the Jokerz and driving down empty or near-empty streets were becoming pointless

" If I don't find any of these fuckers in the next five minutes, I may have to take my anger out on some poor unfortunate soul. It's not healthy to keep things bottled up after all" said Harley softly while keeping her concentration on the road when not looking from side to side 

For the next half hour, Harley continues her routine of roaming either empty or near-empty streets and alleyways around Gotham and still coming up with nothing. All hope seems to be lost in finding the street gang until she appeared at the corner of Wayne Avenue and finally spotting The Jokerz with J Man in front running out of a closed restaurant

_Bingo,_ thought Harley, deciding to not make her presence known to these clowns until they've unintentionally led her back to their hideout. She backs up her car to avoid detection from the group but also still getting a good view of them 

In a matter of seconds, the restaurant bursts into flames. The Jokerz including J Man laughs like a pair of maniacal hyenas thinking exploding a restaurant is the greatest thing since sliced bed. Unfortunately for the owners of the building will wake up to find their business totally destroyed the next day, but at least no one was inside during the explosion 

Harley views all this and the laughter in the front seat of her vehicle, shaking her head in disapproval " Amateurs" she said softly

With J Man and The Jokerz pleased at their handiwork of watching the restaurant burning, robbing the cash tills, and tearing up the place, they all hop into their truck and start to return to their hideout. This prompt Harley to start her vehicle and following the Jokerz's truck at a relatively safe distance to ensure it didn't look like she is following them, when in fact she is

Harley grinned and giggles knowing she's now one step closer to reuniting with her soul mate and starting a new chaotic spree of terror in this decadent cesspool of a city. She even allows one car to pop in front of her while keeping her eyes on where the Jokerz's truck is leading her too

_If all goes well, we may even organize the breakout for Mr. J tomorrow morning,_ thought a very enthusiastic Harley while following the van 

When the car in front of her eventually left and turned into a different street, Harley still kept her distance between herself and the Jokerz. She could have easily made herself known back at the restaurant but believed it would be highly amusing and better to surprise them by literally following them back to their home

Harley couldn't wait to see the looks on all of their faces especially J Man's when they realize not only did they allow her to discover their location, they also recognize it is the same woman they were threatening to gang rape in that alleyway several weeks ago has changed completely

Even Harley herself is surprised with how much she's changed since that fateful day, she used to be scared, weak, and pathetic, always having some form of mental problems or just being too damn nice. Not anymore, however, thanks to the revelation of Derek cheating on her which lead to his demise and Harley's rebirth

She is now an entirely different person and it shows. Not just with her clownish makeup but in the way she views the world and her thoughts on murder. In total, she has committed three murders with one not being directly involved but still played a part, and she thinks murder is just part of the game known as Chaos

Harley truly believes with all the events that happened over the past several weeks from meeting Arthur to her first encounter with J Man and The Jokerz, falling in love with Arthur, setting up a meeting between him and J Man which lead to Ted's death, having sex with Arthur in her office, getting fired, and discovering Derek cheating on her leading to his demise. All of these events were meant to be

She was meant to meet Arthur, fall in love, murder, get fired and completely changing her character so it could all lead to this very moment in time

After turning down several streets and following the van into the Industrial Area of the city, Harley sees the van parking outside a two-story warehouse, leading her to park her car across the street

One by one The Jokerz depart from the truck with J Man being the last to leave as he fished around for the keys inside the hidden pocket of his purple coat to unlock the padlock and roll up the roller doors

Harley quickly grabbed her baseball bat from the passenger seat, gets out of her car, and lightly shuts it. She decides to finally make her presence know by walking over to the group casually saying " Hiya boys"

The Jokerz and J Man all turned to see Harley approach them. At first, they were stunned to know they were followed by an outsider, however, they quickly brush that aside and turn their thoughts on how they were going to deal with this intruder

" You've just made your final mistake," said J Man coldly as he and the others being to surround and close Harley within their circle like a pair of wolves

" Maybe, maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see about that" replied Harley as she stopped walking and allowed herself to be trapped within the Jokerz's circle


	30. New Leadership

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, here it is. The final two chapters. I wrote this chapter last month and wanted to end this story then but I struggled for a long time to write the last chapter

Outnumbered and potentially facing the possibility of being murdered by The Jokerz surrounding her, instead of showing signs of fear and pleas for mercy, Harley instead looks around the circle and smiled at every member before setting her sights on J Man who is standing in front of her

" Judging by your clothes, you obviously looking to become the first female addition to my crew. Are you not?" asked J Man as he looked up and down at Harley's red and black attire, even noticing her hair is matching the colors of her clothes as well

Harley innocently shakes her head " Nope. I'm not interested in being a part of anyone's crew and taking orders from second rate wannabes" she teased

J Man scowled at Harley for calling him a second-rate wannabe " You better watch yourself you stupid little cunt. You're surrounded by loyal fanatics of The Joker who will rip your insides out at a moment's notice. So If I were you, I'd tread very.......very carefully" he warned her

Harley rolled her eyes at J Man " Look, J Man. I'm here with a proposition that will truly prove you are followers to Joker's cause. A chance to move up in the criminal underworld and I'm not talking about robbery, vandalizing or setting cars and stores on fire"

" Then what are you talking about?" asked J Man. As he starts to look into Harley's brown eyes, he starts to feel as though he has seen this woman before. He doesn't know why he feels this way considering he has never met her before, but something within him tells him that they have crossed paths before

Harley smiled at J Man's puzzled stare " What's the matter, J Man. Don't ya recognize me? It is true I have changed my appearance when we last met, but I am the same old gal you and these bozos cornered in an alleyway"

_Let's see if he's smart enough to figure out who I am after giving him that subtle hint,_ thought an amused Harley while still smiling at the Jokerz surrounding her without a care in the world

J Man immediately started to think after catching onto Harley's hint about who she is and where they have met before. He and his men have cornered dozens of women and men, robbing them of their money, beating them senseless, and at times spray painting their bodies with the words - The Jokerz

He knows he has seen Harley before. But where and when? How can she easily recognize him but he is unable to? Then again, it wasn't J Man's policy nor The Jokerz for that matter to remember the names and faces of their victims. Victims weren't worth remembering when terrorizing them for their own sick purposes

J Man looked up and down at Harley's body again as an attempt to help him remember who this woman is, where did they meet before, and why this woman isn't cowering in fear of him. Once again, nothing comes to mind on the identity of the red and black clown, his eyes quickly return to meet Harley's dark brown eyes 

" When I look in your eyes, you do seem somewhat familiar to me. But it doesn't matter who you are because all I see is this poor attempt at being a wannabe follower, and yet not knowing who you are is starting to piss me off I Tell me, why the fuck have you followed us here or else" demanded J Man

" Or else what?" dared Harley while smiling at the frustrated leader of The Jokerz

J Man brings out his knife and grabs a hold of Harley's face " I will carve a smile into that pretty little mouth of yours while ripping your insides out and ultimately hanging you over somewhere by the intestines" he growled as he forced the tip of his blade into Harley's mouth

Despite feeling the blade of J Man's knife pressing into her skin, Harley still manages to laugh humorously at J Man's threat, and thinking what could possibly happen to her is funny. Like Joker, Harley believed death was a joke and something that shouldn't be feared. She should be scared out of her mind or at least showing signs of her confidence fading, instead, she laughs and laughs while feeling more confident and assured that nothing will actually happen to her 

" Stop that!" demanded J Man

Harley continued to laugh as her grin grew wider and wider at J Man, and his attempts to intimidate her. If J Man saw the old Harleen Quinzel again, it would have been a different story between these two psychotic individuals, but since Harleen is dead and buried all Harley could do is smile and laugh at J Man's frustration and pathetic attempts at intimidation 

The rest of the Jokerz didn't know what to make of Harley's laughter and not caring about the fact she could very well die by the end of the night. All of their other victims broke down into tears, pleaded, and begged for their lives to be speared, but not Harley. No. Harley is laughing in their faces, making a mockery of everything they stand for, as well as undermining J Man's authority as their ruthless leader

" I SAID STOP IT!" growled J Man as he takes his knife out of Harley's mouth and uses the back of his hand to smack her across the face as hard as he possibly can

As Harley turned her unwavering grin back to J Man, the effect of J Man's slap as well as his blade slightly digging into her skin caused her lower lip to bleed. She again laughed her head off and this time, her laughter actually startled the degenerate street gang while infuriating J Man even more 

Harley uses her free hand to wipe off the blood from her lower lip " I was right about you the first time, you are a wannabe. A little boy who thinks he can play with the grown-ups. You may look similar to Mr. J, but you'll never ever be him"

" You know nothing about me or him" snarled J Man

Harley raises an eyebrow " Oh really? I know Joker better than you do. I've actually spent the time to get to know him. What he thinks and how he feels. He has big plans for this city, plans that you never even dream off"

" That's a lie!" exclaimed J Man " How could you possibly know who Joker is? He's been locked away in Arkham for a year........" he paused in mid-thought as he now suddenly realized the identity of the crazed woman standing before him and grinning like The Cheshire Cat

Harley noticed J Man widening his eyes at her_ It's about time he figured it out_

" It's you, isn't it? The pizza lady who set up the meeting between myself and Joker" replied J Man

" That is correct. Give that man one million dollars"

The rest of The Jokerz looked at each other in shock at this revelation before turning their eyes back onto Harley again

" The name though is Harley Quinn. Nice to meetcha" said Harley

J Man lightly nodded his head " Yeah, I remember you now. We were going to show you a good time until you made that promise and to your credit, you came through. I met Joker and he inspired me to do better and I have. Rape is beneath us, it's not what we do. But murdering for fun? Fuck yeah"

" As all of you can see, I'm not the same woman you met in that alleyway. I've gone through drastic changes on a physical, emotional, and psychological level to get to where I am. To prove my worth and my love to the greatest man who has ever lived" said Harley solemnly

J Man laughed at Harley before shaking his head " You really are a stupid dumb bitch aren't you. The Joker doesn't love you, he never has. He's only using you to break free from Arkham and you've fallen for it. He told me so himself"

" Well, you're wrong. Joker does love me. I have seen it in his eyes. We are soul mates bound together through the pain and suffering of what the world has done to us. We were meant to be" sighed Harley happily

" Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Harley" sniggered J Man " So tell us, what the fuck you want from us and then you will die"

Harley smiled again at J Man " I am planning to break Joker out of Arkham and I would very much like The Jokerz to assist me in doing so. As I said, I'm not interested in being a member of a group that doesn't involve Mr. J as the rightful leader. Think of it as an alliance between two parties who want to see their idol roam the streets causing terror and misery to the people of this city. This would be the perfect opportunity to not only show the people of Gotham but to Joker himself, you guys are loyal followers and are worthy to stand beside him. Up until now, all you've done are petty things. Armed robbery, vandalism, and muggings. Yes, we all have to start somewhere and I get that. But no one, not even Joker has taken you seriously, he said so himself. Sure, you've started murdering people, carving smiles, and blowing up shit, but it's not enough. It will never be for him"

The Jokerz along with J Man were stunned into silence by Harley's words. They all wanted desperately to please their 'God' by committing acts of violence and chaos in the streets in order to make a name for themselves. They thought they were really doing a good job and believed Joker was proud of them. But to hear that he doesn't even take them seriously caused a serious blow to their ego

Not only were they stunned by they also mentally kicked themselves for not having the idea to go and break Joker out of Arkham State. Even if they did make a name for themselves and became revered, they still never considered the possibility of helping Joker to escape

Harley kept her eyes and that mischievous grin of her's on J Man " I can't believe that you of all people. The so-called leader of The Jokerz not once had the idea. The initiative to consider the possibility of breaking out your hero from the Asylum, even though he's having the time of his life surrounded by people like me. So pathetic" she teased

J Man lowers his head in shame because deep down he knew there was some truth to what Harley is saying about him. Not only is he the leader, he strived to be like Joker which is why his appearance looks almost identical to Arthur but with different colors on his clothes, length of his hair, and face paint

" Maybe you've never intended to break Joker out at all. Maybe you wanted to keep all the power and spotlight on yourself while going with the narrative that you idolize Mr. J and want to continue his work. Forget about being worthy to stand beside him. Forget being the leader of this band of misfits. You're not fit to stand before me" mocked Harley

_We will never get along and I know for certain he will not give up his power so easily. Killing this fucker is the only way forward and I'll goad him further into making a mistake. Sometimes emotions can lead to mistakes and I very much doubt these idiots surrounding me will try to interfere,_ thought Harley methodically

like the fly getting caught in a spider's web, J Man becomes filled with rage at the humiliation Harley is giving him in front of his crew and undermining his position. Yes, he may agree that he should have thought of the idea of invading Arkham to save Joker, however, he will no longer allow anybody let alone this bitch continue to make a fool out of him

" Not fit to stand in front of you?" J Man raised his head and looked at Harley again " You're a nobody. No one knows who the fuck you are. You just a lovesick puppy looking for attention because your life has no meaning. Me, Joker and The Jokerz? What we are doing has meaning. I'll admit I did not think of the idea of breaking him out, but I will not allow such disrespect to go UNPUNISHED!"

J Man jerk's back slightly before raising his hand with the knife and swinging it forward to slice Harley's neck, however, Harley manages to block J Man's attack at the last second with her left hand, and a struggle between the two breaks out. J Man manages to use his strength to press through Harley's left hand to attack her neck with the blade only inches away from touching the skin, while Harley uses all of her might to steer the knife away

" You fucking cunt, I'll show you what happens when you make a mockery out of me!' snarled J Man while trying to push his hand with the knife closer to Harley's neck

Harley knows she won't be able to keep this up forever, she starts to think about her counter attack and how she'll make sure the knife is out of J Man's reach. She considers using her baseball bat nearly resting over her right shoulder to wack it across J Man's face while trying to push the knife away

However, her eyes glance down to J Man's legs and noticing an opening to really hurt him _Yeah that'll be perfect. By hitting him in the crown jewels, he'll become my personal pinata hehe,_ thought Harley

" You think I'm humiliating you now? Just wait until I have you under my feet in front of your men"

" Oh yeah? And how do you plan on doing that?" asked J Man

" By this!" Harley swings her right foot forward and slamming it directly in J Man's private area, which causes him to groan out loud in pain, cover his balls and collapse to his knees looking up at Harley smiling at him 

Harley holds her baseball bat in two hands as if she is a real baseball player looking to hit a home run for her team " Batter up" she swings it forward hitting the side of J Man's head, knocking him out cold and twisting his body around so that he is laying on the pavement and his stomach. To add insult to injury, Harley places one foot on J Man's back and standing in triumph

" Well, that was easier than I thought it would be"

The Jokerz themselves were gobsmacked at what they had just seen. Their glorious and charismatic leader who told them he was going to lead The Jokerz to greatness has been publicly humiliated in front of his group and beaten in battle by a crazed woman dressed as a Harlequin clown 

Instead of coming to the aid of their fallen leader knowing full well that they still outnumber and outmatch Harley, they choose to remain standing where they are within the circle looking both shocked and somewhat fearful of this woman

Harley noticed the fear in the Jokerz eyes but knew it was not enough to just simply knock the poor bastard out. She had to take it a step further to prove her dominance and fear over the degenerate street gang. Drawing on the inspiration of murdering Derek, Harley takes her foot off from J Man's back and relentlessly used her bat to hit J Man's head 

It didn't take long for J Man's skull to crack open and die from the multiple blows to the head, but Harley continues her assault. She won't stop until she sees the brain matter spilling over for everyone to see. Blood starts to fly in all directions from Harley's bat, to her face, to the ground, and to some of the Jokerz standing by

Harley looks up and notices two members of the Jokerz attempting to look away from the brutality they were witnessing " HEY!"

The two members fearfully and reluctantly turned their heads back to look at Harley's now maniacal gaze and at their fallen leader 

" Keep watching or do you want to end up like this loser?"

The two members shake their heads, which allowed Harley to continue smashing J Man's head in with her bat. The once-feared street gang looking to honor Joker's work by terrorizing Gotham's citizens has now become victims of their own game. Each time they saw Harley's bat come down on J Man's crack skull, each time they heard a bone crack, an eyeball popping out, seeing brain matter, and seeing blood fly in all directions made their stomachs feel queasy

Harley finally stops her assault when seeing the brain matter slip out, she places her foot back onto J Man's back and looked at the remaining members of The Jokerz, while also trying to catch her breath in the process 

" The Jokerz are now at a crossroads....... what you decide now will ultimately shape your future. If you are....... dead serious about wanting to make a name for yourself and carrying on Joker's work....... you will accept my offer of helping me to break Mr. J out of Arkham State and making me.........your interim leader until he is here leading us. If you believe in his ideology of chaos and murder, you will do whatever he or I say. But........ if you don't want to step up........ I suggest you leave town immediately. Unless........you want to end up like him" grinned Harley

The Jokerz said nothing and stared at Harley in silence

" So what will it be? Decide now because you will not get a second chance"

The Jokerz all looked at each other wondering who will speak on behalf of them as most of them were too afraid to speak on their own while trying to wrap their heads around what had just happened to J Man. Finally one of them, a large man with a flabby gut nicknamed Chucko a dark red and purple jester hat with face paint, black leather jacket with a customized Jokerz initial on it, black jeans, and brown steel-capped boots plucks up the courage to speak

" After what had just happened ere tonight, we see or at least I see that J Man was a terrible leader. Sure he had a vision but compared to you? He's a fucking pussy. If ya deadly serious about setting Joker free, I'm in" said Chucko in his New Jersey accent

Then came the other voices of The Jokerz. Sure they were scared of what Harley is capable of, but they didn't want to return to the way it was before J Man founded the group. Strangers either working in dead-end jobs feeling like they've been taken for granted and looking for an excuse to cause harm and collecting welfare because they are too lazy to try and get a job

" I'm in"

" Me too"

" Me three"

" We're all in"

Harley nodded in satisfaction and smiled at her group " All of you have made the right decision. Tonight marks the rebirth of The Jokerz, a more ruthless and chaotic group of anarchists who will do anything and everything to achieve their goals. I, Harley Quinn, will humbly accept the role as an interim leader until Joker says otherwise" she then makes a small bowl in front of them

Chucko and the other Jokerz cheered and Hollar at their new leader, seemingly now forgetting about J Man, his leadership and pretending he never existed at all

" Right, open the roller doors, and let's get to work. I want to see all the toys you have" ordered Harley


	31. The Second Coming

Today is the big day. The day not only where the citizens of Gotham City have to brace themselves for the second coming of Arthur Fleck as The Joker, but also witness the official debut of Joker's sidekick and soulmate, Harley Quinn. And that thought alone wasn't enough to send shivers down people's spine, the infamous street gang known as The Jokerz will be joining with the attack on Arkham and breaking Arthur out of his room

After spending a week of living within The Jokerz's warehouse and getting to know them as well as working out a plan to invade Arkham which lead to a lot of arguments considering the group itself was fairly small in comparison to what the media has made them out to be and Harley isolating herself within J Man's private office, the ever-eager vixen has finally managed to come up with a perfect plan

The plan had been staring at her all long. Harley sits in front of the large mirror in front of her applying the usual white makeup to her face while listening to news being broadcast on the radio in the background

" It has been nearly two weeks since the murders of three individuals. One who was the former Executive Vice President of Wayne Enterprises, Derek Hamlin. Derek was found in a burnt car at the docks who according to the forensic experts have deduced that Derek was brutally beaten with a large object shortly before being placed in his own car which was then set ablaze......"

Harley smiled proudly when she heard the details of how she murdered her former boyfriend on the radio. To her, that night was the best night of her life. She truly felt she had cast off the last traces of her former identity as Harleen Quinzel which she nows views as a weak naive waste of space who should have died long ago. Harley still remember laying into Derek with his own baseball bat signed by Babe Ruth, the sound of human flesh being pounded, and the groans, screams, and begs for mercy by Derek

If you were to ask Harley if she had the chance to go back in time and stop herself from committing such a heinous act, she would tell you she would go back and do it all over again. Hell!. She'd tell you she would have murdered Derek a lot sooner to become the murderous anarchist she now is 

_I cannot wait for Arthur to hold me again after me and those bozos downstairs break him out of Arkham State. He'll be so proud of me for the changes I made. I just know it,_ thought a confident Harley

" Interestingly enough, not long after the murder of Derek Hamlin, there was another murder that took place within 15 minutes. A witness who was associated with the second victim saw a woman dressed as a Harlequin in red and black colors holding a baseball bat approach them in the alleyway. Without warning, the Harlequin attacked and murdered the witness's friend who we can now confirm is Richie Salvatore a soldier for the mob....."

_Yeah right!_ scoffed Harley as she now gets set to work on using red lipstick to form a half-smile on her lips

_If anything, those two wanted to either rob or rape me and I was having none of it. Sure, I could have knocked both of them out or turn the other way. But what fun would that be? Killing is so much fun. Mental note, If I see that fucker who lagged on me again. Kill him_

" And finally the last known murder occurred nearly a week ago. I can confirm the victim in question was known to be J Man, the leader of the street gang known as The Jokerz. The Jokerz as we all know by now is a group of murderous and deranged thugs who idolize Arthur Fleck or as he now likes to be called, Joker. Last year, Arthur was responsible for several brutal murders, a riot, and a movement to rise up against the status quo. J Man was found beaten to death with his head caved in an alleyway. It is unknown who murdered him and if it was a gang-related issue or if it had any links to the mysterious Harlequin" reported a male journalist over the radio

" What we do know is that The Jokerz seem to be laying low and haven't caused havoc in the wake of their leader's death"

_J Man was nothing but a wannabe and a very weak leader. Sure, he managed to give credibility to the group. But if he was a true leader, he would have brought in more people and have done acts that would have made Arthur proud. No matter, me and Arthur will make the Jokerz a feared group and an unstoppable force within Gotham. Not even the mob would dare to take us on and if they do then goodie,_ thought a now smug Harley

After she finished working on her lips and darkening her left eye in a four-sided shape, Harley gently tilted her head from left to right to get a good look at her face. She wanted to make sure she looked perfect for her man when she comes to get him and for the media as well, since they are gonna wanna know who exactly she is

_Perfect!_

With a simple nod with her head, Harley stands up from her chair, turns around, and walked over to J Man's desk where her baseball bat rested along with the radio which now started to play soothing jazz music as well as her gun. Harley turns the radio off and decided to take only her gun with her this time around

Harley turns around again and headed for the door, she opens it gracefully before making two steps over to the balcony where she can look down at the remaining members of the Jokerz. She looks over and sees the group casually playing poker, while also wondering when the hell are they going to break Arthur out of Arkham and whether or not they could truly trust Harley

After witnessing the murder of J Man first hand and seeing glimpses of a violent and sadistic Harley, they were somewhat intimidated by her and didn't dare to go up to the office, bang on her door, and demanding answers about how she's going to lead them

" Hey bozos!" exclaimed Harley

The Jokerz immediately stopped what they were doing and all turned their heads up to look at their new interim leader

Harley soon starts to smile at them " I know all of you have been very patient with me and wondering when I'm going to address the issue with breaking Joker out of Arkham State, and I thank you for waiting" she then turned to her right and started making her way down the steps

" As you are all aware how difficult our situation is with there only being 6 members of this gang of misfits including me and knowing how big Arkham is. I know the place inside and out, after all, I worked there for a few months. We couldn't come up with a solution together, so I decided to isolate myself upstairs and think about it on my own. Even then it was tough but it finally came to last night in a dream which involved Joker himself" Harley sighed softly at the memory

The Jokerz continued to watch Harley make her way down the stairs, even going as far as to stand up from their seats and turn their bodies in her direction

Once Harley reached the bottom of the steps, she turned to face her men "I know exactly how to free our glorious God from his prison. The answer was there the whole time staring at me in the face while I was looking everywhere but in front of me"

" And what.....what is the plan?" asked a member of the Jokerz called Bongo

" I'm so glad you asked" answered Harley as she started making her way towards the poker table " Considering how low our numbers are which we need to work on after today, the best approach to break Joker out is to have no plan at all"

This revelation was met with confused looks on the faces of the Jokerz and crickets as if they heard the worst joke they've ever heard in their entire lives

Harley's grin grew wider when she noticed the confused and quizzical looks from the Jokerz " Don't you get it? Sometimes there doesn't need to be a plan. We go in guns blazing and bombs thanks to J Man for ordering them in. Kill as many as possible and go all the way up to the 5th floor. Although I think it would be safe if one of you kept the motor running"

Again there is silence in the room. No one knew what to say or how to respond to Harley's ideal plan for Arkham. They weren't used to not hearing a well thought out plan and just make it up as you go

" Of course simpletons like you don't understand what I mean by this. How can you? You're not on the same level as me or Joker. In fact, Joker didn't really plan what he was doing last year. He didn't plan on starting the clown movement, the riots, or the murders. It just happened because well.....he snapped. And look at what happened. He's now the most famous criminal in Gotham City and perhaps the entire world. When we're crazy, we just do things half the time. I'm not totally stupid, what I am proposing is very risky and it may not work. But come on. Look at us. We're clowns that love to cause chaos. We need to be taking risks if we want to raise our profile in this city. So. Whose's with me?" asked Harley

_This better work because it's all I got. I'm nowhere near as good as Arthur is or even charismatic but it's the best I can do,_ thought Harley as she looked at the Jokerz with determined hope

One by one the Jokerz all nod their heads and agree to Harley's insane idea. Sure they had their doubts and know it could end very badly for them, however, it could all work out, in the end, resulting in them to become respected by their idol

" Great!. Get all your weapons including the smoke bombs together as well as putting on makeup and clown masks. We leave in five minutes" announced Harley 

****

Meanwhile, in Arkham State Hospital, Arthur sits on the edge of his bed staring at the brick wall in front of him, hands on his knees and back up straight. It has been some time since he issued Harley the challenge to change who she completely is in order to prove her love and loyalty towards him, and since then the clown has started to become impatient

_I knew this would happen. I tried telling Arthur. But did he listen? No. Harley never had the stomach to prove her worth to me because if she did, she would have done it by now. Well, today is going to be her last day. If I don't see her by dinner time, that's it. She's dead to me and I'll break out on my own,_ thought an irritated Joker as Arthur's facial expression formed a scowl

Ever since the Joker personality had taken full control, there was no more discussion or debate between himself and his weaker half, the real Arthur Fleck. Far as Joker is concerned, Arthur never existed and was only a piece of his forgotten memory. Once the door to the fridge inside Arthur's head was slammed shut and locked, that was it. Arthur is no more and Joker is here to stay forever

This allowed him to finally come up with several ideas of how to escape Arkham on his own, even though he is still mostly confined to his cell all day with the exception of using the shower block. Some involved a riot initiated after murdering either a doctor, nurse, or an orderly coming to check on him, or he faked an illness to be taken to the medical bay and starting a bloody massacre. What Arthur wanted is to make sure that he is in the spotlight and have everyone know what he is doing while escaping

The Joker aspect to his personality believed all eyes should be on him at all times, no matter what twisted idea he had planned. He loved the spotlight during his initial chaotic spree last year and craved to be in it again, once he successfully escaped after murdering a few staff members in the process

Arthur still had the vision of watching Gotham burning all around him, while the people were either rioting and looting as well as murdering and attacking each other. That's what he wanted and is determined to make that a reality with or without Harley's help. With Joker being firmly in control, he grew to become more distrustful of Harley's intentions and knowing all along what his weaker half couldn't - Harley lacked the courage to do what is necessary. A fake!

_I would be lying to Arthur If I wasn't at least a bit curious and hopeful for the possibility of sharing my ideological view of the world with her. But unlike that moron, I wasn't too trusting. I kept my guard up and with good reason. She could never be like me_, thought Joker

Arthur quickly snaps out of his thoughts when he hears a knock on his door " Come in" he then turned his head to look at who is going to come into his cell. The door opens and in comes Brad the orderly

" If it isn't Saint Brad of Arkham. What do I owe the pleasure of seeing you, your grace?" asked Arthur sarcastically 

Brad chuckled at Arthur's joke " Just here to take you to the shower block for your morning shower, Arthur"

" Please, call me Joker. That's my real name" insisted Arthur because he did indeed no longer wanted to be called or associated with his weaker half

" Alright then, Joker. Grab your things and let's go" replied Brad

" Jawohl!" exclaimed Arthur before standing to his feet and grabbing his towel and a clean pair of his white uniform. He then walks over to Brad " So when do I get to see my new therapist or be allowed out of here for more than just visiting the shower block?"

Brad steps out from Arthur's doorway first and shrugs his shoulder " I have no idea. It's all up to Mr. Johnson to sort that stuff out" he said

" Probably for the best I don't have another therapist. Not after what happened to Harley" replied Arthur as he stepped out while closing the door behind him

" Yeah, she was a sweet girl. Got along with everyone except for Ted for obvious reasons. Darn shame"

" And the wheels on the bus go round and round all day long," said Arthur randomly while following Brad down the corridor 

  
****

  
The Jokerz van pulls up across the street from Arkham State Hosptial where Harley goes over her risky plan with the ambitious street gang once more in the back of the van

" Right, so here's the plan. Bongo, you're gonna drive us up to the front door of the hospital and when we depart, you'll stay right here with the engine on. We shouldn't be too long. At least 10 - 15 minutes. Maybe even sooner if things go our way. As for the rest of us, well" Harley paused midway to hold up her gun in one hand and a smoke bomb in the other  
  
" We're gonna do a whole lot of smoke killing!" chuckled Harley in front of the Jokerz who still wasn't too sure if this woman's plan was a good idea but were also too afraid to tell it to her face 

As Harley's looked at the unimpressed and somewhat confused faces on the Jokerz, this caused the queen of chaos to stop smiling and shrug her shoulders " Look, I know this isn't groundbreaking but it's the best I can do. Besides, I never claimed to be a great leader or visionary like Joker is, I just understand his world views and the true meaning of life"

All but one member of the Jokerz, Chucko showed some approval to Harley's plan by clapping his hands together " At least you're honest. Besides, dis is a great oppatunity to meet the one and only, Joker" he said in a New Jersey accent

Chucko looked at his fellow comrades and tries hyping them up " Come on, let's go show da boss what we're made of. J Man brought us dis fah but with Harley here and Joker in dere..." he points to the front of the van in a gesture to the hospital across the street ' Will take us into the twenty-first century. Show a little appreciation ere!!!"

Some members of The Jokerz nodded their heads while others grunted in somewhat of approval despite still harboring their doubts about Harley's plan 

Harley smiled warmly at Chucko " Thank you, Chucko. I'm glad at least one person here has faith in my ability. Now let's get cracking" 

Chucko lightly taps his fist on the wall behind him to alert Bongo who is sitting in the driver's seat " Let's go, pal. We're ready!"

Bongo starts the van again and making a swift right turn to enter the car park and stopping directly outside of the front entrance of Arkham. The Jokerz and Harley exited the van through the back doors, carrying their weapons, smoke bombs, and clown masks, and made their way towards the front entrance of Arkham

" Bombs ready" whispered Harley

The Jokerz hold up their smoke bombs and prepare to take the lid off of it, while also holding both their guns and placing their clown masks on which will be used for protection against the smoke bombs

" On my signal," said Harley before holding up three fingers " Three........" she then lowers the third finger " Two............" the second finger is then lowered " One!" and finally with the last finger lowered, she opens the door and allowed the Jokerz to rip off only three lids of their smoke bombs and roll them in down the corridors and over at the front desk 

One by one Harley and the Jokerz entered Arkham swiftly like a Swat team as if they were tasked by The Warden himself to help regain control over Arkham after a riot broke out between his patients. Instead of calmly entering and going where they needed to be, they see two orderlies and a woman managing the front desk coughing and shielding their eyes from the smoke before opening fire on them

Harley ran over to the elevator, pressed a button, and signaled for her team to get into the elevator with her. Once they do, Harley pressed button number 5 which will take them up to level 5 where Arthur resided on and proceeds to take off their clown masks

" Quick question. Why did ya tell us only ta bring three of the bombs?" asked Chucko curiously

Harley looked at Chucko and smiled " Cause that was only the opening act. Ya know smoke and mirrors. But in our case more like smoke and bullets" she then proceeded to giggle at her clever little joke

" Now that's over, it's time for the second act to being. Now is the time for The Jokerz and Harley Quinn to step out from the shadows as not only close associates and loyalists to The Joker but as feared and respected criminals. Trust me by the time we're done here, no one is gonna wanna mess with us. Not even the mob. Jokes on them though cause we do wanna mess with them"

" Makes sense, I suppose"

They finally reached their destination on the 5th floor of Arkham State and as the doors begin to depart, Harley already could see Brad casually walking down the corridor and made no hesitation to open fire on him before stepping out with her crew. The shooting of Brad is quickly met with a horrific scream from one of the nurses nearby along with several doctors and patients

Harley turned her attention towards her former colleagues " Yello old friends. Guess whose's back" she outstretched her arms with a big smile on her face as if she's expected to be showered with hugs

Chucko and the other Jokerz raised their guns but did no open fire on the people nearby sensing Harley did not want them to be killed just yet

" What the devil is going on!"

The small crowd of doctors, nurses, and patients departed on both sides to allow Duncan Johnson to see what all the commotion is. As soon as he sees Harley and the Jokerz with their guns pointed in his direction, his eyes widen in shock as he could no longer move his legs

" Hiya, Mr. Johnson. Remember me?" asked Harley as she slowly started to approach Duncan with her gun pointed directly at him, while the Jokerz followed slowly behind Harley with their guns point at the others behind Duncan to ensure none of them would attempt to run away and call for help

" We got nothing of value here. This is a hospital" replied Duncan as he tried to act strong in front of his people and obviously not recognizing the woman in front of him as the artist formerly known as Harleen Quinzel 

" You don't remember me? But I remember you" pouted Harley playfully

Chucko stepped a little closer to Harley and gently whispered into her ear " We need to end dis now and get Joker outta here because I'm sure someone on the other floors would have heard all of this and called the cops" he advised

" I know, I know. But I want to have some fun before we go in and get Mr. J, besides I used to work here ya know" whispered back Harley as she turned attention back onto Duncan once more 

" You do have something of value here. My Puddin. My love. My world. Arthur Fleck aka The Joker. We're here for him" Harley tells Duncan with affection

Duncan stared at Harley longingly, especially at her eyes before a lightbulb went off in his head and causing him to remember the clown woman in front of him " Wait a minute. I know you. My love? My world? Harleen Quinzel!"

From the moment he heard Harley affectionately mentioned Arthur's name, that is when Duncan knew for certain it's Harleen Quinzel. What stunned him as well as the others around him is her bizarre clownish appearance dressed in mismatched red and black colors along with her hair and lips. That and joining up with these hooligans

" Yup, it's me" Harley started to smile again " Like the new look?"

" I knew from the beginning there was something wrong with you. No sane person could ever truly be sympathetic towards Fleck and the atrocities he committed. No sane person could ever defend such a monster and listen to all the bullshit he's told to other therapists in the past. If you or your friends think you'll get away with this, you're even dumber than you loo.."

**BANG!** The nurses screamed again shortly after Harley shot Duncan in the head which caused his now lifeless body to fall to the ground 

" Kill em them all!" ordered Harley

Chucko along with the other Jokerz opened fired on their hostages with many of them screaming, crying, and groaning in the process before one by one they succumbed to their death

" We need to move, now!" suggested Chucko 

Harley looked at the pile of lifeless bodies before turning around to see Brad who miraculously survived the gunshot to the chest laying in a pool of his own blood

_I bet he'll have the keys,_ thought Harley before quickly walking over to Brad and turning him over on his back

Brad looked up at the newly transformed Harleen Quinzel while putting pressure on his bullet wound to stop the bleeding and struggling to stay alive " Har...Harl......Harleen?"

" Yes, Brad. It's me" replied Harley with a smile. She then kneels down on one knee to rummage through Brad's pockets

" Wh..w.....why?"

" Because this is who I am, Brad. It's who I've always been, I just didn't know it yet. Arthur Fleck is my soulmate" answered Harley

Brad said nothing this time and simply stare at the woman he used to view not only as a compassionate and empathetic woman but also someone he considered as a friend, while she rifled through his pockets

" Aha!" exclaimed Harley, finally finding the keys to Arthur's cell and taking them out of Brad's pockets, and standing upright again. She proceeds to turn around and walk away, only to stop and turn back to dying orderly

Brad returned Harley's gaze as he holds up his free hand to her, almost begging for her to end his life and the pain he's currently going through. He may not understand or agree with Harley's intentions, but what he did know is he didn't want to wait until the paramedics of Gotham General to arrive and try to keep him alive in the ambulance anymore

" It's nothing personal, Brad. I just want you to know that" Harley holds up her gun, aims it at Brad's hand, and shoots him

" Get back to the van and kill as many people as you can, especially the cops if they haven't arrived yet" ordered Harley as she stormed past the Jokerz and down the corridors. She wanted it to be her and only her to first lay eyes on Arthur again, she needed to be held in his arms and bask in his love for her again 

" Hey, wait a minute. We're all in this together so all of us should...." a member of the Jokerz is quickly cut off by Chucko who had his hand cover the man's mouth

  
****

Arthur Fleck stands by the door in his cell after hearing the sounds of gunfire and screams of terror going off in the background after returning from the shower block shortly before the siege started. How could he not? considering how loud and frantic it was despite not knowing who the shooters are

_What's going on out there?_ thought Arthur as he tried looking from side to side in the small window in his door to try and pinpoint the source of all this chaos

He then started to wonder if Harley is behind it and that she had finally accomplished her mission of proving her worth to him? It seemed to be the only logical explanation because Arthur certainly didn't believe the Jokerz were capable of doing something like this on their own. As far as he is concerned about the current status of the group, they were nothing to him. Just a couple of losers

And if it wasn't Harley or the Jokerz then who else could it be?

Out from the corner of his left eye, Arthur sees two security guards looking at someone he could not see in the small window before hearing gunshots going off again and the guards falling to the ground

" Oh Puddin!"

_That voice!_

Harley sees Arthur's face smudged into the window of his door and raced towards him, which finally allowed Arthur to see the person behind the gunshots. It didn't take him long to realize this person is none other than Harley Quinn. His Harley

Arthur grinned at Harley's new appearance before noticing the keys in her hand. He takes two steps back and waited for Harley to unlock the door. Within seconds, the door opened and Harley threw herself at Arthur wrapping her arms around his back, nuzzling her head into Arthur's chest

" I missed you so much, babe"

_She did it! She actually did it. I can't believe it! Harley actually proved herself to me. Sure it took her long enough but here she is. Perhaps my weaker half was telling the truth about her. Heh, jokes on him. He's going to be stuck in his little prison, while I have Harley all to myself,_ thought a gleeful Joker 

Arthur wrapped his arms around Harley's waist and held her tightly " I missed you too" he said shortly before planting a kiss on her head

Harley sighed happily because not only did she succeed in her mission to transform herself and break Arthur out of Arkham, she is finally in his arms again " Do you like the new me?" she asked him

" I do" Arthur nodded his head in approval. He gently pushed Harley back two steps which broke their embrace so he could get a good look at her new appearance. Arthur started at Harley's red and black hair with the white makeup, the black shape on her left eye and red lipstick forming half a smile on her right side, before moving down to her clothing 

" I certainly do. I'll admit, I did have my doubts whether or not you would actually be up to the task of proving yourself to me. However, you have exceeded my expectations of you" grinned Arthur

Harley smiled back lovingly at Arthur " I didn't do this alone either. I had help with the Jokerz crew. Remember our old friend, J Man?" she asked Arthur

Arthur said nothing and simply smiled at his girlfriend

" I got rid of him as soon as I found the location of their clubhouse. Made myself their interim leader until of cause we got you out and wanted to take over, so you can finally bring some meaning to the group" explained Harley while staring dreamingly into Arthur's eyes and waited for more of his praise

" I'm so proud of you, Harley. You truly are the one for me. Come here" Arthur grabs Harley's wrist, pulls her back into his embrace, and kissed her roughly on the lips. His lips smashed against her's as if trying to flatten and destroy her mouth

Harley hungrily pushed back, her mouth open, tongue pushing past his clenched teeth to the moist space within. The short bristles of Arthur's beard scratched against Harley's soft cheeks as she gripped his head firmly as if to keep him from escaping. She worked her mouth against his, their tongues battling back and forth like wrestlers, each trying to pin the other

Seconds later, they both break their kiss together 

" Let's go, we can continue this later" suggested Arthur

" I couldn't agree more, babe"

****

When Arthur and Harley arrived on the ground floor of Arkham State, they were greeted with two things. One, there were more dead bodies than there were when Harley and the Jokerz first arrived. Arthur looked at their bodies before cracking a smile and chuckling to himself. The other thing is the sound of gunfire coming from right outside of the facility. No doubt, the Jokerz are fighting off the arrival of the GCPD officers

" Looks like the party started without us" grinned Harley as she made her way over to the front door to take a peek outside

Arthur shakes his head and makes a ' task tsk' noise " Now, Harley. It isn't a party until they see me walking out of this place. This is more like a......" he paused momentarily to find the right words while also snapping his fingers at the same

" Appetizer. Pre-show?"

Arthur stops snapping his fingers, turned his head to look at Harley, and nodded " Give that woman a gold star. That is exactly what it is. A pre-show. I think everyone's waited long enough for the main event to begin, don't you agree?" he asked Harley

" Mmhmm" nodded Harley

Arthur's grin grew wider " Well, what are waiting for then. Let's give them a good show" he takes Harley by the hand and the couple makes their way outside. Over on their left is the Jokerz who are either hiding within the back of the van or hiding around the side, firing their guns when at the GCPD on the far left

Unlike the Jokerz where some only received minor injuries during this chaotic warzone, at least three officers of the GCPD were gunned down either close to their cars or in front of it. Seeing this only made Arthur laugh and smile even more, oh how he missed either seeing people dying in front of them or that all hell has broken lose in the streets

One of the surviving officers of the GCPD quickly took notice of both Harley and Arthur standing outside by the front doors, his shocked and somewhat terrified expression " JOKER'S LOOSE!" he yelled

The gunfire ceased briefly as both parties all turned to see the new power couple standing on the steps

_Bout fucking time!,_ thought Chucko as he looked at them 

Harley quickly started firing her gun at the GCPD allowing both herself and Arthur to make a dash for it to the back of the van, this, in turn, made the Jokerz continue their assault forcing the GCPD to retreat behind the safety of their vehicles. Once Arthur and Harley hopped in the back, the rest of the Jokerz followed pursuit as this wasn't the time for a formal greeting between the ambitious street gang and their beloved idol 

" DRIVE!" shouted Harley to Bongo

As Chucko started to close the back doors of the van, Arthur stopped him midway by grabbing his wrist. Chucko looked at Arthur oddly, wondering why he did this. His odd expression is met with the same crazed grin Arthur is well known for

" Leave it open. I haven't had my fun yet" said Arthur before he eyed the Tommy gun in Chucko's hands

" Alright. It'll be a pleasure to see you at work" replied Chucko before handing the Tommy gun over to Gotham's infamous clown 

Arthur kicked the first door open again and started firing the Tommy gun at the GCPD, laughing maniacally like the crazed mad man he is while the van started to move again. Some of the officers were still forced to stay behind their vehicles due to Arthur unleashing a barrage of bullets, leaving them with no opportunity to try and make a counter-attack

However, one of them was brave enough to get half of their body inside of their vehicle to use their mic speakers to not only call for backup but to inform them that Joker has been let loose thanks to the Jokerz and the mysterious Harlequin woman who has been recently linked to two possible murders in the news. The van soon quickly disappeared from their sight as Bongo drove around the back of the hospital and using the second exit 

The GCPD officers now scrambled to get in their cars to go in pursuit of the deranged group of clowns, but the damage has already been done. Gotham's worst nightmare has now come to fruition. Arthur Fleck aka Joker, the man who is responsible for several deaths, riots, and a movement has been let loose upon the city again to unleash another round of chaotic murder and mayhem

Unlike last time where he was a one-man band, this time the good people of Gotham will have to face not only the second coming of Joker but also the unholy alliance between him, Harley Quinn, and The Jokerz. Dealing with one deranged lunatic at a time is bad enough. But to deal with several as a group at the exact same time within a city ravaged by crime and corruption? One can only imagine the horrors that are about to be unleashed from these people

If one thing is for certain it's that the GCPD, the low-level free agent thugs, the mob itself, and most importantly the innocent civilians of Gotham who are just trying to get by without resorting to crime have seen nothing yet 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally done! Hooray! Even though I sort of knew what the ending was going to be, I struggled for a long time to put the pieces together, and that it's the longest finale I've ever written no joke. As in the dialogue, the action, and the siege on Arkham. Quite frankly this was the best I could do to end this story and I'm proud of the end result. I apologize if this ending sucked but after a series of writing and rewriting in an attempt to make a great ending, this is what came out in the end. I do hope it was worth the long wait lol
> 
> Apart from the multiple hiatuses, I do consider this to be one of the best stories I've ever written. Not bad for a first Joker/ Harley fanfic, I must say. Although I do tend for this story to be a one-off. But if you guys did enjoy the ending and may want to see a sequel of sorts, I have some possible ideas but not entirely sure If I wanna go through with it. But if you guys do then let me know in the comments section and I will give it a crack next year. Thank you to everyone who gave this story over 100% kudos, 9 bookmarks (Biggest I've ever had), and amazing feedback in the comment section. I appreciate them all. Without the positive feedback and support, I would have never got to this level. Thanks again


End file.
